A Reminder from Mrs. Patterson

Now that students are wearing boots to school, more often gym shoes are forgotten. Students need gym shoes to participate in P.E. Please help your children remember to bring their gym shoes on Tuesdays and Fridays for P.E.

Report Cards

I will not be in school tomorrow, so I am sending report cards home a day earlier than the rest of the school. The report card is yours to keep, but please sign the envelope and return it to school.

Field Trip this Friday!

Students are looking forward to the field trip this Friday! We leave at 10:30 which means we will miss the lunch hour here.

• Please bring a bag lunch with a drink. Hot lunch and milk will not be available.



• We will eat lunch at 10am.



• I highly recommend an afternoon snack as I'm sure students will be hungry by the time we return around 2pm.

OPRF Food Drive

The Student Council is sponsoring a PROTEIN and BABY & TOILETRY ITEM drive to benefit the Oak Park River Forest Food Pantry. The students have set a goal of 1000 items.

The Food Pantry is asking for protein items such as peanut butter, canned meats, tuna, salmon and beans (canned or dry). In addition, baby items or toiletry items such as diapers, baby food, baby formula, bar soap, shampoo, and deodorant are needed. As always, any other items are acceptable as well.

Cash and checks are welcome, too.

Please bring items and/or money in by Friday, 12/16.

Empty Water Bottles

Our art teacher, Ms. Raia, is looking for discarded water bottles for an art project. Her preference is for POM juice bottles, but anything 16oz. or smaller will do. If you have them, just them here instead of to the recycling bin! Thank you!

Homework Hub at the OP Library

Shelley Harris is a children's librarian at Oak Park Public Library. They recently turned one of the study rooms into a Homework Hub for Oak Park kids through fifth grade. Their new computer has a touch screen and switch adapter and the following software:
Boardmaker
Earobics
Lexia
Typing Instructor for Kids
The room is also stocked with tri-write pencils, pencils with grips,raised line paper, white boards and workbooks for preschool through grade 5. Kids can sign up to use the room for up to two hours at a time if they (or a parent) have an Oak Park Public Library card. Parents can use the computer for Boardmaker if they have their child with them.

Field Trip on 12/9

In two and a half weeks, we are going to see a Junie B. Jones play. Please remember to turn in your permission slip and $10 cash fee. Thank you to those of you who already have!
I also would love to have one parent accompany us. Unfortunately, there is also a $10 fee for adults. Please email me if you would like to go.

Sight Words

The first trimester ends Friday, November 18. By that point, students are expected to know 10 sight words. The words I have formally introduced so far are the, we, I, can, is, like, see, go, play, a, to. However, students can know ANY 10 words from the list of 31 kindergarten sight words. The link to the full list is in the bar to the left.

Students were expected to identify all their capital and lowercase letters by late October.

Helping Out in the Classroom

We are well into our classroom routines! If you are interested in helping out in the classroom once a week, please let me know. It would be for about an hour at a time. I could use a parent at the writing center to help students with topic ideas and sounding out. I could also use someone with iPhone or iPad experience/ just-enough-confidence who could help out with a small group of students using a variety of educational apps.

Here are some times I would appreciate some help:
Monday: 10-11
Tuesday: 8:30-9:30
Wednesday: 8:30-9:30
Thursday: 8:30-9:30
Friday: 10-11

In the past, some parents have partnered up and taken every other week. That way it's not as big of a commitment for you and you have a "sub" if something else comes up.
If you were to volunteer, please respect all our different levels of ability and learning styles, and keep interactions with other students confidential.

I realize not everyone can help out on a regular basis. I occasionally have some "at home" work. (Right now I could use help tearing pages out of workbooks to make the pre-decodable books that have been going home.) If you'd like to visit the class to read a story, email me to set up a time. Also, with the holidays approaching, please let me know if your family has any special traditions you'd like to share with the class.

Book It!

Don't forget to turn in your Book It calendar. If you read for at least 20 minutes, at least 20 times in October, you've earned a coupon for a free personal pizza at Pizza Hut. November calendars went home yesterday. If you ever lose a calendar, just make your own or print one from the internet.

Halloween

• We will celebrate Halloween on Monday, 10/31.


• Students should not wear costumes to school. Please pack it in a bag to change into after lunch. Some students choose to go home for lunch to change there.


• After lunch, students will change into their costumes. Our party will start around 12:10. Thank you to parents who are coming to and organizing the party. We'll get through about 3 stations.


• The parade will be at 1:00. We will finish our stations after the party. Students go to music at 2:17.


• Students will be dismissed at 2:55 as usual.


• NO WEAPONS, either real or toy, should be included as part of a costume.


• There will be a pumpkin decorating contest, by age group, the week of Halloween. Look for details in the Digital Backpack.


• Please let me know if your family does not celebrate Halloween. There will be an alternative party for those students who do not.
  

UNICEF

UNICEF boxes went home yesterday. UNICEF is an organization that provides basic needs for children around the world. If your child chooses to collect money while trick-or-treating or during the next 9 days, please return the box by Friday, November 4th. The Longfellow Student Council has set a goal to collect $1,000 this Halloween. Visit trickortreatforunicef.org for more information about the organization.

Upcoming Dates

Wednesday, October 5 - Walk to School Day
Monday, October 10 - Columbus Day - no school
Wednesday, October 12 - PTO New Family Dinner - 6:30pm

Check the Digital Backpack for more details!

Passport to Reading

Our school wide reading program started today. This is a wonderful program that helps Longfellow lead the district in reading scores. It is skilled-based and all kindergarteners are grouped as such. We reassess and regroup about every 4 weeks. Your child may have met with me, another kindergarten teacher, or one of our reading teachers: Mrs. Parr, Ms. Madalone, or Mr. Warzecha. It went very well! We do this 4 times a week for 30 minutes at a time.

Assessments

Two papers have gone home recently about your child's academic work. The first, sent home Friday, is in reference to the screening your child participated in at the beginning of August and was administered by a district primary teacher.
The second sheet, sent home today, is a reflection of the assessments I've been doing over the past 10 days or so. Please work on any highlighted items at home. We are continuing to work on direction words (first, last, after, before, under, above, etc.) and rhyming. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me.

Congratulations!

Over half our class has filled up their first sticker chart for good behavior. Way to go! Everyone is getting used to our routines and is working hard to be respectful, responsible, and safe. Keep up the good work!

Trip to the Maze Library

Next Wednesday, our class will walk to the Maze Library. A librarian will show us around, read a few stories, and give children time to explore. I'm sure many of you have been there before, so I hope you have a well-used library card! (Students will not be checking out books at this time.) I would like to have one parent walk with us to the library. We are due there at 9, so we will leave Longfellow at about 8:40. We should be back by 10:30 at the latest. Please let me know if you are available to help.

Lexia Reading

Today your student is bringing home information about the Lexia computer reading program. We will go to the computer lab twice a week to use the program, but you are also welcome to work at home. It is up to you. There is no password for kindergarteners. Your student's username is included on the sheet that went home today.

Lice

Though not in our own classroom, there have been two cases of head lice at the kindergarten grade level. Please be vigilant about checking your children for lice and their eggs. Letters went home yesterday and last Monday. For more information, you can visit http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/lice/head/ Please also be sure not to share hats, brushes, pillows, and hair decorations. Thanks to everyone for bringing in headphones! Every little step helps in prevention!

PBIS Rewards

Each week children at Longfellow may turn in their Bear Necessities to participate in a raffle (grades k-5) or visit the Bear's Den to purchase prizes (grades 4 & 5). Donations of items that can be used as prizes are always appreciated. If you would like to help out, please see the Wish List on the PBIS blog: http://longfellowpbis.blogspot.com/

Book Order Forms

Scholastic book order forms went home today. If you do not wish to order, no problem. If you would like to order books, please complete the form by Tuesday, September 27. You can either order online with a credit card, or send the form back to me with a check made out to Scholastic.

Class Activation Code: G8Q66

Best of all, we earn a FREE book for the classroom library every time a parent places an order online.

It’s simple - here’s how it works:
•SIGN UP at www.scholastic.com/bookclubs. On the parent page, click the “Register” button in the “First Time Here?” section. Register for your own user name and password. When prompted, enter the one-time Class Activation Code: G8Q66. This unique code ensures that your order is sent to me.

•SELECT the books you’d like to order—choose from thousands of titles—many more than in our monthly flyers.

•SEND your order to me online by the due date and your child’s books will be delivered directly to my classroom. Ordering online is fast, easy, and secure.

PTO Meeting Tonight!

There is a PTO meeting tonight at 7:00 PM in the media center. The class with the highest parent percentage represented wins an extra PE class. Dr. Roberts and Therese O’Neil will be at the meeting to discuss our playground and district plans regarding all playgrounds.

Exercise Photos!

Mrs. Patterson, our P.E. teacher, is looking for pictures of her students participating in their favorite sport. She has a bulletin board outside the gym that is filling up with great pictures. Send yours in! She would prefer a copy/ reprint, or you can email it to her at epatterson@op97.org Be sure to put your name on it!

PTO Fun Run

Instead of our usual gift wrap sales, this year's major PTO fundraiser is a healthy Fun Run! Students will participate in the Run on Friday, September 30. Please see the Digital Backpack for more details. Pledge sheets and information went home yesterday as well.

ALL Classes

Check out the Longfellow Digital Backpack for a listing of A.L.L. classes. These are after-school classes on a variety of subjects. Registration is due by Friday, September 16.

Our air conditioning...

is up and running! Too bad we didn't have it working on Wednesday when it was so hot, but I'm sure there will be a few more hot days when we'll be very glad to have it. However, with it in operation, it can be quite cool in the classroom. Feel free to keep a sweater or sweatshirt at school.

Red light, green light!

I use a "traffic light" so students can keep track of their own behavior. We've been talking about Longfellow's expectations: be respectful, be responsible, be safe; as well as my own, which go right along with Longfellow's: be nice, follow directions, work hard. I tend to be pretty tough in the beginning of the year! Your child may tell you he or she got a yellow or red light one day. I'm trying to teach my students my expectations and find it's much easier to be tough at first and then ease up a bit, rather than the other way around. Many students test me at the beginning of the year, as is a child's nature, learn what to expect from me, and quickly improve their behavior.
I'll go into a little more detail at Curriculum Night, but feel free to ask questions any time!

Longfellow's Digital Backpack

There is a lot of school, district, and community information communicated through Longfellow's Digital Backpack. District 97 is trying to be a little greener by pointing you toward electronic information rather than sending home paper copies to thousands of students. Please peruse the information regularly to see what may pertain to your child and your family. You can find a link from the Longfellow website, as well as on my blog. The blue backpack icon on the left is a direct link to the Digital Backpack.

Permission Slip

...did not go home today. I'll send it home tomorrow. We had a very busy, but fun day. I can't wait to see you tomorrow!

Our Specials Schedule

Our times could change as it is a very complicated process scheduling special area teachers and our 26 homeroom teachers, but here's what we have so far:
Mondays: Spanish 1:23 - 1:45 and Music 2:17 - 2:50
Tuesdays: P.E. 9:55 - 10:23 (shoes needed,) library book check-out 1:00-1:20, and Spanish 1:47 - 2:09
Wednesdays: Art 12:44 - 1:50
Thursdays: Music 9:50 - 10:23 and Spanish 1:23 - 1:45
Fridays: P.E. 1:08 - 1:41 (shoes needed) and Spanish 2:23 - 2:45

Feel free to keep a pair of gym shoes at school, or you may just bring/wear them on the days we have P.E. Please be sure to remember them on warm sandal days and cold snow boot days! Students cannot participate in P.E. without gym shoes.

Teachers:
Art - Jenny Raia
Music - Judy Friesen
P.E. - Elisabeth Patterson
Spanish - Kia London
Librarian - Sharon Pearce

Separation Anxiety?

The first day of school can be cause for a lot of excitement and anxiety and those levels are different for each child and parent. In my experience, a nervous or scared child will cry for a little longer than a parent is present. As hard as it is for you, please do your best to say goodbye to your child at the door. The more you encourage him or her to be independent in school, the easier and shorter that transition will be. I promise I will take good care of them all!

The First Day

I will update this post as I get more information.

• School starts at 8am. Students should line up near the south playground at line #12. Every Wednesday, including tomorrow, students are dismissed at 1:55. Every other day, students are dismissed at 2:55 right outside my door (8W.)


• Parents are welcome, though not required, to come in the room tomorrow morning to watch as students begin their first day. We have an assembly at 8:20, so we will say goodbye then.


• Please bring any school supplies on Wednesday or as soon as you have them. Folders, scissor handles, supply boxes, and headphones should be labeled.


• This year for lunchtime, kindergarteners will play from 11 to 11:20/11:25. They will then go into the lunchroom to eat from 11:25-11:55. This is different from past years and may be different than other grade levels.


• Students will have a home folder. Please look for it each night, empty as necessary, and return it each day. If you have a note for me, please remind your child to give it to me as I will not automatically look in it. A permission slip will go home tomorrow.

A Few Things to Know Right Away...

• Students are encouraged to bring a water bottle to school, preferably with a sports top to prevent spills. Our room is supposed to be air conditioned, but right now it is not working, so it is quite warm!


• Fresh fruits and vegetables are welcome as a morning and/or afternoon snack. I tell my students it should look like it was just picked. Harder-to-eat foods would best be prepared at home (peel an orange, cut up an apple, etc.)


• Hot lunch starts Wednesday! It includes milk. The menu can be found on the district website. Your student can bring his or her own lunch or order a hot lunch with me in the morning. Make sure your student knows whether or not to order.


• Please fill out the two forms to the left.

Curriculum Night

Please join us next Wednesday, August 31 for Kindergarten Curriculum Night. The evening will start at 6:45 in the auditorium for general school and kindergarten information. Then we'll move into my room for more specific routines in my classroom. If possible, students should stay at home.

Popsicles on the Playground

I am looking forward to meeting you tonight! All kindergarteners and their families are welcome to join the kindergarten team on the playground tonight at 5:30 for popsicles. I'll be wearing a purple dress so you can find me a little more easily. You will also be able to see our classroom so you know what to expect on Wednesday. Feel free to bring your school supplies tonight, though bringing them on Wednesday is fine, too.

Picnic tomorrow!

Here's what I told the kids:

• Wear/ bring sunscreen.
• Bring a water bottle - everyone got a PBIS water bottle today!
• You may wear or bring a swimsuit; there is a fountain at the park. If not, wear clothes that dry quickly.
  
• You might want to bring a bag, towel, hat, sunglasses, or outside toys - it is up to you.
• Consider the shoes you wear. They should be comfortable and safe to run around in. Perhaps they can get wet, or if they can't, be responsible for shoes and socks. There are always a few random socks at the end of the day!
• Lunch is as usual. We will return to school so you can byo or order hot lunch.
• We'll go over at 8:30 or 9 until 11. We'll return after P.E. - about 12:45 until 2:45. Families welcome!
  

Lexia - computer reading program

Student access to Lexia will continue throughout the summer. Sometime in mid-August, students will be moved to their new grades and classes and there might be a brief loss of function at that time. Kindergarteners are the only students who don't have a password. If you should need a password in August, use "bears."

World Language Survey

District 97 has developed a brief survey that parents/guardians can use to provide feedback about our world language program. The results of this survey will be used to help assess the program and aid us in our efforts to provide our students with high-quality world language instruction at all levels. Parents/guardians can access the survey at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/WorldLangParents. The deadline for completing it is June 3, 2011.

Rob Scotton in Oak Park!

Tomorrow! Saturday, May 21 at 11am author and illustrator Rob Scotton will read two books and give a drawing demonstration at the Magic Tree Bookstore. He is the very popular author of the Splat the Cat series, as well as Russell the Sheep. You need to reserve a space with the bookstore, as well as any books you may want autographed. The phone number is 708.848.0770 or you can email info@magictreebooks.com

Super Summer Math and OPPL Summer Reading Program

Permission slips for Super Summer Math went home last week. I highly recommend you participate in this wonderful program sponsored by the PTO. It's a great excuse to get to the library each week and do some fun math activities there and at home. You don't have to go every week. If you are on vacation or miss a week, you can turn in your work later. I hope you participate!

If you're at the Maze Library for SSM, I hope you also sign up for the public library's summer reading program. Students will see a preview of the program here at Longfellow which usually gets them pretty excited about it! The librarians at the OPPL have wonderful suggestions for books, but if you'd like to find some on your own, visit http://lexile.com/findabook to find suggestions for books at your child's reading level. Don't forget most children love to listen to you read to them, too! (I had a professor in grad school who spent the first 10min of class reading to us - we loved it!)

Congratulations and thank you!

Our class won the CROP Walk challenge to help fight hunger in Oak Park and worldwide! We brought in more money than any other class. Thank you for being so generous, whether that meant bringing in coins from a piggy bank or writing a check. Students won an extra P.E. class with 3rd grade teacher Mrs. Flowers, so they are very excited!

Reminders

This Thursday is our field trip to Dominican University to see "Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type." (You paid and gave permission for this field trip 2 months ago.) Please be sure to pack a bag lunch with a drink as I'm not sure if we'll be back in time for hot lunch.

This Friday is Olympic Day; kindergarten will participate in the afternoon. Be sure to check the weather and temperature in order to dress appropriately. As of now, the forecast is partly sunny with a high of 74. Girls should wear shorts or pants instead of skirts or dresses. Hats and sunscreen might be a good idea, too! It will be a lot of fun!

The kindergarten picnic is Thursday, June 2 at Longfellow Park. Our class will be out there from about 9-11am and from 12:40-2:45pm. All are welcome!

End of Year Math Goals

Some of our math goals remain the same as the second trimester, but some goals have increased. I've been assessing students to see who has met the goals already. A note will go home tomorrow if there is something that needs work. By the end of the year, your child should be able to:

• count beyond 100
• perform interrupted counting beyond 100
  
• count by 10s beyond 110
• count by 5s to 100
  
• have beginning skills in counting by 2s
  
• count backward from 15
• read and write any number 100 or less
• recognize a penny
• tell time to the hour

If your child can't yet do one of these tasks, please practice each night! Can you believe it? Only 15 school days left! Any questions? Don't hesitate to contact me!

Mother's Day song

Scholastic book order forms went home today. Please complete your order by Friday, May 13. You can either order online with a credit card, or send the form back to me with a check made out to Scholastic.

Class Activation Code: G8Q66

Best of all, we earn a FREE book for the classroom library every time a parent places an order online.

It’s so simple! Here’s how it works:

• SIGN UP at www.scholastic.com/bookclubs. On the parent page, click the “Register” button in the “First Time Here?” section. Register for your own user name and password. When prompted, enter the one-time Class Activation Code shown above. This unique code ensures that your order is sent to me.
  
  
• SELECT the books you’d like to order—choose from thousands of titles—many more than in our monthly flyers.
  
  
• SEND your order to me online by the due date and your child’s books will be delivered directly to my classroom.

Ordering online is fast, easy, and secure.

Have You Submitted Your Child's Dental Form?

This is a reminder that ALL children in Kindergarten and Second grade must present proof of examination by a professional dentist prior to May 15th of this school year as mandated by the State of Illinois Department of Public Health. The examination must have been completed within the 18 months prior to the May 15th deadline. Please make an appointment with your dentist to comply with this requirement.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to call Nurse Angie at 708-524-3064.

CROP Walk

From now through May 8th, Longfellow will participate in the collection of funds to support the CROP Walk. The CROP Walk is a walk to combat hunger by collecting monetary donations. The walk itself is Sunday, May 1 at 2pm, starting off from Pilgrim Congregational Church. 25% of the funds collected will support local agencies in their efforts to end hunger. Please bring any donations to the classroom collection jar. Our class has set a goal of $38, though we will, of course, accept more! Checks can be made payable to CWS/Crop. The class that raises the highest amount per student will earn an additional P.E. class. Together we can make a difference!

**IMPORTANT**

You should have gotten a letter about this in the last two weeks:
When families first enrolled their children in District 97, they provided several documents that verified their residency in Oak Park and their children’s eligibility to attend our schools. We are asking parents/guardians of all current students to participate in this important process again to ensure that we continue to provide the children of this community with a quality education in accordance with state law and district policy. To access information about the re-verification process please visit the following website: www.op97.org/Verification%20of%20Residency%20for%20all%20Current%20D97%20Students.pdf

Feinstein Challenge - Food Drive

Each spring philanthropist Alan Shawn Feinstein challenges food pantries across America to collect as many food items and cash donations as possible. To spur donations, Feinstein donates $1
million dollars to feed the hungry. Those funds are divided proportionally among competing food pantries based on what they collect (cash and food items) during the months of March and April. Last year the OPRF Food Pantry collected an incredible $64,938 and 21,618 food items in response to the Feinstein Challenge and this year, they know they can do even better. Please bring in food, toiletries, cash, and checks from April 12-27.

Olympic Day 2011

Friday, May 20 is Olympic Day! There will be a climbing wall, tug ‘o war, crab soccer, relay races, and so much more! Students in grades 1, 3, and 5 will participate in the morning, and students in grades K, 2, and 4 will participate in the afternoon.

If you would like to volunteer for half a day or a full day, or just get more information, please contact Mrs. Patterson at epatterson@op97.org or Lori Bradford at ldemain@sbcglobal.net. Lunch will be provided for all volunteers. Your help to make this a fun day for all children is greatly appreciated!

ACES

All Children Exercise Simultaneously is the world’s largest exercise class. On Wednesday, May 4 all Longfellow students and staff will participate in this even. This event, occurring at 10:00 AM, will happen in many countries all over the world in efforts to promote physical fitness and health. Please be sure your child has their gym shoes on this day!

Read, Recite, Recycle

Family Reading Night is coming Tuesday, April 26th from 6:30 - 7:30. Your child may begin collecting gently used children's books. The books should be brought to class by Tuesday, April 19th. Come to the Family Reading Night on the 26th, and your child will take away "new" books to enjoy! There may be a limit of taking 7-10 books that evening. However, if you can donate more, that will help us make another very successful book swap! We are especially in need of chapter books. If you can help with the book organization prior to the 26th or that evening, please contact Cheryl Sullivan, csullivan@op97.org.

Author Night

Tuesday, May 3, 2011, 7:00 PM
Longfellow School Auditorium with Dr. Paula Kluth http://www.paulakluth.com/
FREE!

Students will also get a chance to hear Dr. Kluth, as well as author Patrick Schwarz http://patrickschwarz.com/ during the school day.

PE NEWS

Exciting news! Gymnastics is coming to Longfellow from Thursday, April 7 through Wednesday, April 20. Students will be learning skills on the balance beam, parallel bars, rings, uneven bars and mats, as well as rope climbing. Your child may participate either in regular gym shoes or gripper socks. Gripper socks have non-slip coating on the bottom. These can be purchased or homemade using "puffy" paint from a craft store. No one may participate in stocking feet without non-slip bottoms. All students should have gym shoes on PE days, just in case. Also, long hair needs to be tied back during gymnastics classes. If wearing a skirt or dress, please wear shorts underneath.
Please contact us if you have questions.

We are looking forward to two exciting weeks of gymnastics!
The Physical Education team,
Elisabeth Patterson, Michelle Valentin and Tom Rocco

PBIS Gotcha

In your child's mailbox is a "Gotcha" for parents to give over spring break. If you catch your child being respectful, responsible, and safe, give him or her this Bear Necessity. He or she can bring it back on Monday the 4th and enter into a special raffle. Have a wonderful and safe spring break!

Fantastic Fridays!

The Student Council celebrates the end of each year with Fantastic Fridays!
3/25 Stuffed Animal Day - It should be able to fit in your backpack.
4/8 Freaky Friday - Wear clashing clothes.
4/15 Hat Day
4/29 Weird Hair Day
5/6 Blast From the Past Day - Pick a decade to don.
5/13 Pajama Day
5/20 Blue and White Day - Show your Longfellow pride.
5/27 Twin Day - Match with a friend.
6/3 Tie-Dye Day
6/7 Flip Flop Tuesday on the last day of school

You are invited to the Referendum Forum tonight at 7 PM. (A fluorescent green flier went home yestereday.) The event is hosted by parent volunteers from both Longfellow and Lincoln, and will be located at Lincoln Elementary School (1111 S. Grove).

Family Reading Night

It's still almost a month away, but it will be here all of a sudden! Please mark your calendar for Tuesday, April 26th from 6:30-7:30. Earth Day is that week so, like last year, we will be recycling books. Donate an old book you're done with; pick up a book that is new to you. Keep an eye on the Digital Backpack for more details. I'll be there so I hope to see you!

Scholastic Book Orders

Book orders are due this Thursday if you'd like to order. Please see the earlier post for details.

Report Cards

Report cards went home on Friday. Thank you to those of you who already signed and returned the envelope. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

(Sporadic) Nice Weather

We had a beautiful day today for the most part. Now is the time of year you may want to check the weather more often and think about layering. Some days are nice, like today, while later this week we might get snow flurries. Other times, morning recess is still quite cool, but by lunchtime or afternoon recess can be warm. Students are welcome to keep a sweatshirt at school.

Also, despite the nicer weather, please remember unattended students are not allowed on the playground before 7:45am. There is no supervision and students cannot be unsupervised.

Book Order Forms

Scholastic book order forms went home today. Please complete your order by Thursday, March 24. You can either order online with a credit card, or send the form back to me with a check made out to Scholastic.

Class Activation Code: G8Q66

Best of all, we earn a FREE book for the classroom library every time a parent places an order online.

It’s so simple! Here’s how it works:

• SIGN UP at www.scholastic.com/bookclubs. On the parent page, click the “Register” button in the “First Time Here?” section. Register for your own user name and password. When prompted, enter the one-time Class Activation Code shown above. This unique code ensures that your order is sent to me.
  
  
• SELECT the books you’d like to order—choose from thousands of titles—many more than in our monthly flyers.
  
  
• SEND your order to me online by the due date and your child’s books will be delivered directly to my classroom.

Ordering online is fast, easy, and secure.

Field Trip

A permission slip went home today regarding a field trip in May. Please be sure to return the signed slip with the $10.25 fee in cash by next Friday. Thank you!

Mathathon Results

Congratulations to Longfellow! This year we raised $5,737.63 for St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital. That brings the five year total to $31,956.95. Thank you to those of you who raised money; you helped make a big difference!

PACK Week

To promote "eating the rainbow," Longfellow's Wellness Committee is sponsoring PACK week next week: Pack Assorted Colors for Kids. Students are encouraged to wear the designated color and eat a matching fruit or vegetable each day. In class, we will tally the amount of fruits and vegetables of any color that we eat at school (snack and lunch.)
Monday, 3/14 – eat and wear PURPLE
Tuesday, 3/15 – eat and wear WHITE
Wednesday, 3/16 – eat and wear RED
Thursday, 3/17 – eat and wear GREEN
Friday, 3/18 – eat and wear YELLOW/ORANGE

Last Call for Book It Calendars

If you have any more Book It Calendars, either the most recent February calendar or an older one you forgot to turn in, please bring them in by Wednesday. If you lost your calendar, just make your own or find one on the internet.

Guest Storytellers

If you would like to visit our room to read a story, please email me to set up a date. First thing in the morning works best for us on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, or Fridays. Also, if there are any family traditions you'd like to share, you are more than welcome! This year we've learned about the Tomte (Swedish Christmas gnomes,) Hanukkah traditions, and Mardi Gras. We have a wonderfully diverse class and I love to hear about your families' histories, traditions, and customs.

Special Education Parent Night

Please save the dates for upcoming K-5 Special Education Parent Nights. There was a change in some of the dates, so please take note of these new dates: March 22nd, April 26th, and May 24th. All parent nights occur at Whittier from 6:30-8 in the library. In March, parents of middle school and high school students with special education needs will be sharing their experiences at parent night.

Valentine's Day

Monday is Valentine's Day! Students are welcome to bring cards and/ or treats for their classmates. All treats should be nut-free. If you choose to bring something, please bring one for everyone. We will not have a party per se, but students will have time to decorate "mailboxes" and deliver their treats if they bring them. There are 18 students in our class.
***Please don't put a name in the "to" line. Just sign your own name on the "from" line.

NEW DATE for you calendar

Because of our two snow days, we have a new last day of school. Instead of ending Friday, June 3rd, our last day of school is now Tuesday, June 7th. Please plan accordingly.

Mathathon

Last call for Mathathon forms! They are being mailed this week. If you plan on returning them, please do so TOMORROW. Thank you!

Winter Carnival

As you may know Winter Carnival is coming up quickly on Saturday, February 19th from noon until 4pm. The PTO wants to remind you about donating things from the class basket list or volunteering your time. All the info is in the digital backpack.

100th Day of School!

This Thursday, February 3 is our 100th Day of School! We will celebrate in school with all things 100. If you have a collection of 100 things, you may bring it in this week. (Please make sure it is small enough to fit in your backpack.) In the past, students have brought in 100 pennies, 100 Legos, 100 stickers, 100 gumballs - whatever you have!

We have also created a Voice Thread project. I have posted students' writing on a separate website and recorded students reading their writing. Use the link at the left. You can also comment, either in writing or by audio or video recording, depending on your computer's capabilities. Students love to hear themselves and see who has commented on their work. Please feel free to pass the link on to family and friends, near and far, so they can comment, too!

(A few of our students need a little more time on the work or have been out sick, but as soon as it's done, I'll post it. Check back later!)

This Week at School

• Check out the Lost and Found table outside the office. There is a TON of stuff! Items will be donated to Good Will at the end of the week.
  
• Support the PTO and Longfellow by shopping at the Book Fair. It's in the PKP hallway until Friday.
• Thursday and Friday are half days. Students will be dismissed at 11am.

Bears Day!

Tomorrow Longfellow will celebrate Bears Day! Wear your Chicago Bears football gear to cheer on our hometown team. We're hoping for a win on Sunday in what may be bigger than the Superbowl for these two teams.
Through an unusual set of circumstances, the Packers are my #2 team, so if you're a Green Bay fan, you can, of course, wear your Packer gear. :)

Sleep Tight!

Like last year, The Wellness Committee is planning to celebrate various wellness themes each month, starting with this month. This month’s Nourish to Flourish themes are sleep and a healthy breakfast. Did you know most kindergarteners need 10-12 hours of sleep each night? To celebrate these themes, there will be a school-wide Pajama Day next Friday, January 28^th. Also on that day, students can bring in healthy breakfast food to eat at school. Be sure to bring any utensils you may need.

Food Service Survey

District 97 has created a brief online survey parents/guardians and students can use to provide feedback about our food service program. The survey features questions about a variety of topics, including the quality of the menu and overall satisfaction with the program. Links to the survey can be accessed off of our webpage at http://www.op97.org/longfellow/index.html Print versions of both surveys are also available. The deadline for completing the survey is January 26, 2011. Thank you for sharing your thoughts about our food service program, and for your continued support of District 97.

Scholastic Book Orders

I sent home book order forms today. If you would like to order, please submit it by Wednesday, January 26. You can send in the form with a check payable to Scholastic, OR there is a new way: you can order online. You will need our Class Activation Code: G8Q66.

• SIGN UP at www.scholastic.com/bookclubs. On the parent page, click the “Register” button in the “First Time Here?” section. Register for your own user name and password. When prompted, enter the one-time Class Activation Code G8Q66. This unique code ensures that your order is sent to me.
  
  
• SELECT the books you’d like to order—choose from thousands of titles—many more than in our monthly flyers.
  
  
• SEND your order to me online by the due date and your child’s books will be delivered directly to my classroom.

Mathathon

If you've signed up for the Mathathon, don't forget money is due by the end of the month. You can also turn it in any time before that.

Tardies

Mrs. Dolezal and Mr. LeDeaux have asked all teachers to remind parents to have students at school on time. If students don't walk into the building with our line, they are considered late. Please go around to the front door, stop in the office, and pick up a tardy pass. Attendance is done online, so very often, I've already marked a tardy student absent before they walk in the door.

On the flip side of this, please do NOT drop children off on the playground before 7:45. There is no supervision before that time. If students are eating breakfast, they may go to the mini-gym beginning at 7:15.

Mark Your Calendar!

Our Spring Arts Fiesta will be Wednesday, February 23 at 8:15am. We hope this makes it easier for more parents to plan and just go into work a little later than usual. (Note: this date is just for our class and Ms. Mulsoff's.) The music and Spanish teachers are eager to give you a glimpse into their kindergarten lessons. You can check out Mrs. Wiese's blog at http://d97longmus.blogspot.com/

MLK Health Challenge

Check out the Fourth Annual Martin Luther King Health Challenge, a free event hosted at OPRF
on Monday, January 17 from 9:15 – 2:00. This exciting event is a day filled with fun activities, and the chance to win cool prizes like bikes and basketballs.
We have no school next Monday in honor of Dr. King's birthday.

In-School Field Trip

Our kindergarten classes are having an in-school field trip; the field trip is coming to us. On Tuesday, February 8th, we will be hosting High Touch, High Tech, a company that provides hands-on science activities and experiments for kids. Our class will participate in a one-hour long session called “Weather or Not.” The workshop will have no impact on our lunch schedule. The cost is $4.50 per student. Please send the money in an envelope or baggie marked with your child’s name by Tuesday, January 18.