D97 Benefit Night at Ten Thousand Villages

Shop at Ten Thousand Villages-Oak Park on Thursday, December 20, 6pm-9pm, to benefit D97's Multicultural Resource Center. Ten Thousand Villages will donate 15% of Thursday evening's profits to the MCRC, which is home to thousands of fantastic artifacts, books, and resources about languages and cultures from around the world. Lynn Allen, MCRC Director, shares the center's treasures with D97 students and local groups to spread the word about multicultural awareness and diversity. She also organizes after-school programs and D97's Ethnic Fest. Have fun shopping!

Report Cards

Report cards went home yesterday.  The report card is yours to keep.  Please sign the envelope and return it to school.  Thanks to those of you who have already done so!

OPRF Food Pantry Drive

The Longfellow 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 deadline is Friday, 12/14.

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.  As always, any other non-perishable items are acceptable as well.

Cash and checks are welcome, too!

Mathathon

Longfellow School is participating in the Mathathon again to help raise money for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.  Over the past 6 years in which we have participated, Longfellow has raised a grand total of $35,474.26!  If you would like your child to participate in the mathathon by doing fun, math problems, please sign and return the consent form by Friday, Dec. 14th to Ms. Smith.  Indicate on the consent form if you would like your child to receive a printed funbook or do the problems online. If you choose a printed funbook, they will be delivered before winter break. If you do the work online, you can set up an online account and start anytime.   Depending on how much money students raise, they may win prizes. (Please see consent form for the list or prizes.)  Regardless of how much students raise, they will earn 1 bear necessity for participating. The class with the most money raised will win 10 bear necessities per student! All money is due by Friday, Jan. 25th so students have all of winter break to participate and collect money.  If you have any more questions, please email Ms. Smith at esmith@op97.org or visit www.mathathon.org.

 

Box Top Competition

Send in those Box Tops!  Homerooms are competing to see who can bring in the most Box Tops for Education.  Thank you to those of you who have already sent those in!  The PTO has set a goal of $500.  The competition deadline is December 7, but the Box Tops are ALWAYS accepted.

Game Day Tomorrow!

Students have been hearing about Game Day on our daily announcements.  As a reward for all their positive behavior over the past trimester, Longfellow will have a school-wide Game Day.  Students are welcome to bring their favorite inside games to school: card games, dice games, board games.  (Please no Pokemon cards or electronic games.)  They should know how to play the game and can hopefully teach others.  We'll play games in our classroom for about a half hour in the morning.

Turkey Instructions

Save this turkey! Disguise Tom Turkey in hopes of avoiding being caught for Thanksgiving Day dinner. Feel free to use any items you find in your home to create your turkey's disguise. Some suggestions for disguising the turkey may be: another animal, a superhero, a pilgrim, or a character from a book. Please return these turkeys by Tuesday, November 20th. Good luck! I can’t wait to see your great ideas!

Sports Poetry Event

Magic Tree Bookstore is hosting a Sports Nuts and Poetry Fans Event.  Join Heidi Bee Roemer and her Poetry Team U.S.A for a fun hour of sports poems, prizes, and fun surprises.  The event will be held this Saturday, November 17 at 1:00 PM at Magic Tree Bookstore.
For more information visit http://www.op97.org/digital-ackpack/documents/ChildrensBookParty.pdf

Way to Go Longfellow!

Congratulations! About a week ago, The Sun Times released their rankings of schools based on the schools’ average scores on state achievement tests.
• Longfellow ranked 80 out of 2,202 elementary schools.
• The next ranked Oak Park Elementary School was Mann (98 out of 2,202)
• The web site to explain how The Sun Times rank the schools is http://www.suntimes.com/news/education/8455887-418/how-we-ranked-schools.html
• The web site with Longfellow’s rank is http://fh.suntimes.com/reportcards/results/index/489
• The web site to search any school is http://fh.suntimes.com/reportcards/

Congratulations!

Congratulations to Principal Dolezal and her family!  She, her husband Scott, and their daughter Sophia, welcomed Maxwell into their family yesterday!  He is 7 weeks old already!
Assistant Principal Val Helm is the best person to contact with many school issues as Angela's presence here will be sporadic until after winter break.

Scholastic Book Orders

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, November 27. You can either order online with a credit card, or send the form back to me with a check made out to Scholastic.  We earn a free book for the classroom library every time a parent places an order online.
https://orders.scholastic.com/G8Q66  Click on "register now."
Class Activation Code: G8Q66 

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

 

If your books are a surprise, please let me know and we can arrange a time for you to pick them up.  Otherwise, I will send them home with your kindergartener.

Halloween

• First, please let me know if your child/ family does NOT celebrate Halloween.  I can make alternative arrangements for those who do not.
• Would anyone be interested in helping to organize a Halloween party?  It would be nice to have several helpers so all the responsibility does not fall on one person.
• Please do NOT wear costumes to school that day.  Students can bring their costumes to change into later.  Costumes should not include any weapons (i.e. guns, swords, etc.)
• Our schedule for the day:
• Regular, academic morning (cut a little short)
• Lunch 10:30 - 11:30
• Stories and change into costumes 11:30 - 12:15  (A volunteer or two would be great here!)
• Start lining up for the parade 12:15
• Parade no later than 12:30, running until about 1 - All are welcome!
• Class party 1 - 1:45
• Clean up and dismissal 1:55
  

Correction for B.E.A.R

Be Enthusiastic About Reading!
Last month a flier went home for a bookmark design competition.  You also got an October calendar to keep track of your reading at home.  Each month, every student will get a new calendar.  If you read 25 minutes a night for at least 20 nights per month (and your homework is already to read 20 minutes a night,) indicate that on your calendar and return it to school at the end of the month.  Children who do so will receive a bookmark.  Any child who does this at least 6 times out of the next 7 months (October - April) will receive a free book from the PTO.  Again, this is replacing the Pizza Hut Book It calendars from past years, as the district is trying to encourage healthier eating habits and move away from using food as a reward.
As an FYI,

• It doesn't have to be that exact calendar.  If you lose yours, just print one from online and use that.
• "Reading" can mean students reading independently or with support, or listening to a book read aloud.

Storytelling

Storyteller Mike Anderson is coming to Longfellow!  He will perform for our kindergarten and first grade classes in the Longfellow Auditorium at 10am on Friday, October 19th.

You can also catch him and two other storytellers at Dominican University that same night from 7-8:30pm.  There will be face painting, a costume parade, and storytelling.  The cost is $5 per family or individual.

Housekeeping

• It looks like you've figured it out, but with the new blacktop and "official" lines, our class lines up at line K in the morning.  See you there!
• Our semi-annual Book Fair starts Monday!  Please consider buying books to support the Longfellow PTO which does wonderful things for our school.  If you're interested in helping out, email Joan at baborado@aol.com  They need volunteers Monday - Thursday 8-10am, 10-12pm, 12-2pm, 2-5pm, 5-7pm, and Friday, 8-10 and 10-12.
• A flier went home today about a Box Top raffle for a chance to win Book Fair gift certificates.  You can enter as many times as you have 25 Box Tops, so feel free to make your own copies or ask me for more.  FYI, Longfellow is ALWAYS looking for Box Tops, so keep them coming, even after the raffle!
• The Fun Run is Monday!  We will take our class picture in the morning and run/ walk the Fun Run after lunch.  All are welcome!  Don't forget to enter any online pledges at www.thegetmovincrew.com
• Don't forget!  Students will be dismissed at 11am on Thursday, 10/18, and Friday, 10/19.  I look forward to seeing you all at conferences!

Picture Day

We have two days to dress up!

• This coming Thursday, October 4 at 8:25 - individual pictures. 
• Monday, October, 15 - our class picture and any individual retakes

I will be out Wednesday and Thursday next week for a training with many district kindergarten teachers.  Order/ payment envelopes went home yesterday.  They need to be returned by (preferably) Tuesday, 10/2, or Thursday, 10/4 at the latest.  Please note that retake day/ class picture day is also the same day as the Fun Run.  I've let the PTO picture chairwoman know, so hopefully we will get a time slot before we run!  If you'd like, feel free to pack different clothes that your child can run in.

Walk to School Day

On Wednesday, October 3rd, Longfellow School will once again participate in International Walk to School Day.  We promote walking especially on this day, but also everyday.  Students who walk will earn stamps and shoes to decorate.  If walking to school is absolutely not possible, your child may still earn the rewards by walking around the block during the lunch hour.
Why walk?
It's fun!  Walking brings a sense of joy and independence.
It's healthy!  The trip to school is a chance for children (and adults!) to get the physical activity they need.
Cleaner Environment!  Replacing car trips to school with walking can reduce congestion and air-polluting emissions.
Promoting Safety!  Building sidewalks, providing education programs and adding traffic calming measures are some of the ways to improve safety. Encouraging walking to school can help build support for infrastructure improvements in the broader community.
Community Benefits!  Reducing traffic congestion, boosting a sense of community, and improving neighborhood connections benefit the community.

Apple Day is Tomorrow!

Don't forget to bring an apple tomorrow!  It can be any variety, any size, though bigger is preferable.

Passport to Reading Starts Monday!

Longfellow's Passport to Reading program starts on Monday.  All five kindergarten homerooms are divided up by skill.  We have five homeroom teachers and three reading teachers to make eight different groups.  This time around, most children from our room will work with another teacher for a half hour, four times a week.  We will reassess and regroup every four weeks.  It's been a very successful program!

A Message from Nurse Angie

The health office is in need of any new or used size 5-7 size clothing and sizes 4 to 8 girls and boys new underwear.  If you have any items to donate, please send them to school with your children. In case of student accidents, we need to stock the health office clothes cabinet!

Caps Needed!

Ms. Raia, our art teacher, needs your caps!  The 5^th Grade will be doing a RECYCLED ART PROJECT using plastic caps. Caps from milk jugs, Gatorade bottles, pop bottles, water bottles- any color any size- are ideal. Please bring caps into school and I will get them to the Art Room. They will be used to create outdoor mosaics for Longfellow’s garden and field. The more caps we get, the better!

2 Things Going Home

Yesterday I sent home notification that we are having an apple tasting at school.  Thank you to all of you who already turned in the $6.  I'm sorry the letter didn't mention that it needs to be in cash.

Yesterday we also had a kick-off assembly for the Fun Run.  This is a fundraiser for the Longfellow PTO, which does WONDERFUL things for our school, including helping fund the new playground, track, and field.  Pledge sheets and information are going home today.

PTO Meeting

Tonight's PTO meeting will begin at 6:45 instead of 7pm.

Lexia

A letter went home today explaining how to use Lexia at home.  As I said at Curriculum Night, it is totally up to you and your child how much you use this at home.  Some kids love it and want to work more at home.  Others don't like it as much, so unless they aren't successful on it at school, I wouldn't push it much at home.  Students should do this independently.  As time goes by, I'll let you know if they aren't going through the program at an appropriate rate.
One thing to note, students should finish each activity instead of clicking the stop sign in the bottom right hand corner.  For example, if there are ten problems in an activity, but they only do six and then click stop, they do not get "credit" for those six and will have to repeat them another time, which can be frustrating for students.  Once they finish an activity, the computer will bring them back to the main menu and they can choose a different activity if they wish.

Welcome Back Picnic

The picnic has been canceled for today due to weather.  It has been rescheduled for September 21.

Assessments

In your child's backpack today, you'll find two notes:

• A letter from Longfellow about the Kindergarten Readiness Test (KRT):  This was the test your child took during the summer.  We used these scores to balance our five homerooms.  The letter also mentions DIBELS, which was administered this past week and helps determine the first Passport to Reading groups.  We regroup every four weeks after that, using new information.
• A note from me:  This is the information I use to drive my instruction.  Over the past week, I've assessed children on some basic information so I know what to teach them and what they already know.  I'm impressed!  Please work on the highlighted items at home.  Most will be graded on the 1st trimester report card, though we really hope all kindergarteners know their upper- and lowercase letters by mid-October.  Flashcards or a game for just a few minutes at night can be a big help at school.

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me!

Library Books and Gym Shoes

Just a friendly reminder to bring your library book back to school on Tuesday.  Kindergarteners checked out books for the first time this past week.  They are not overdue until after two weeks, but students are only allowed to have one book out at a time.
Also, please remember to bring gym shoes on Monday for P.E.
Thanks!

I'm Proud of You!

Your child may have mentioned that we spent yesterday in Ms. Mulsoff's room next door.  Most of the school is not air-conditioned like our part of the building is.  The third floor can get very hot and stuffy, which is an extremely uncomfortable learning environment.  Two fifth grade classes used our classroom yesterday and we spent the day with Ms. Mulsoff's class.  Our kindergarteners did so well!  We are still getting used to kindergarten routines, but students did exceptionally well with this out-of-the-ordinary situation.  Way to go!
Mrs. Parr also visited our classroom for an hour this morning and we assessed students using DIBELS to start to determine groupings for Passport to Reading, which starts in 2 weeks.  Our class did a GREAT job working quietly while Mrs. Parr and I worked with students individually.  I am so proud of my students!

PBIS Raffle

You may have heard about our Bear Necessity slips, or bear claw slips.  Students can earn these slips from any teacher when they are "caught" following the Bear Necessities: be respectful, be responsible, be safe.  Our class has earned a LOT among our 17 students in these first 10 days of school.  Every Friday, beginning this Friday, Longfellow holds a raffle using these slips and 10 winners are selected.  The raffle box is emptied out after the raffle and it starts again for the next week.
P.S. If you have access to inexpensive prizes, especially for the Bears Den for 4th and 5th grade students, please contact Ms. Helm at vhelm@op97.org.  We would really appreciate it!

More Suggested Healthy Treats from Longfellow

SHARED FOODS FOR CLASSROOM EVENTS (INCLUDING BIRTHDAYS)
Fresh fruits
Fresh vegetables
Dried fruits and vegetables – prepackaged to ensure that no nuts are present
String cheese
Graham crackers
Cheese crackers – such as goldfish or cheese nips
Wheat crackers
Pretzels
Cheerios
Pre-packaged Fresh Fruits and Vegetables, such as:
- bananas
- bag of clementines
- manufacturer's bag of apples, celery, bell peppers (to be washed in classroom)
- manufacturer's bag of peeled carrots
Pre-packaged Dried Fruits and Vegetables (including raisins)
- must be in manufacturer bags with ingredients listed; no bulk bin items.
- if children with food allergies are in the classroom, parents can provide a list of approved brands.
Processed foods
- fruit cups
- applesauce
- yogurt
- apple and vegetable straws

Folders

Home folders won't go home every night, but when they do, please clean them out and return them the next day.  If you send any notes back to school with your child, please remind him or her to give them to me.  I do not look through each folder.

Our Specials Schedule

Monday
P.E. 1:11 - 1:44 with Mrs. Patterson
Spanish 1:48 - 2:10 with Senora London
Tuesday
Computer Lab (Lexia Reading) 1:10 - 1:40
Spanish 1:44 - 2:06
Library Check-out 2:10 - 2:30 with Mrs. Pearce
Wednesday
Music 9:30 - 10 with Mrs. Wiese
Computer Lab (Lexia Reading) 12:30 - 1
Thursday
Art 9:50 - 10:56 with Mrs. Raia
Spanish 1:48 - 2:10
Friday
P.E. 9:59 - 10:32
Music 1:09 - 1:42
Spanish 1:44 - 2:06

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, after the first day, please do your best to say goodbye to your child in line outside. 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!

A Few Things to Know for the First Day...

• Students are encouraged to bring a water bottle to school, preferably with a sports top to prevent spills. We are fortunate to have an air-conditioned room, though I actually think it is a little TOO cool.  You may want to have a sweatshirt on hand.
• 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 each morning. Make sure your student knows whether or not to order.
• 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.)
• Please fill out the two forms to the left.
• 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 are the only things that need to be labeled.

Play this Summer!

I hope you make LOTS of time for play this summer!  Try many types of activities: different board games, all sorts of card games, dice games, paper and pencil games, outdoor games, ball games, imaginative games.  While some games are "better" than others, they can all be of some value.  Some are great for fine motor skills, reading, math, spatial orientation, and building strategy.  In addition, following all types of directions and rules for different games better prepares them for understanding directions for something new.

Some games we've tried in school:
UNO
Spot It!
Chutes and Ladders
Chess
Checkers
Memory/ Concentration
Bingo
Blink
Trouble
jigsaw puzzles
crossword puzzles
word searches
word scrambles
Legos
mazes

Other great activities to try:
bike riding - work toward riding on two wheels!
hidden picture puzzles
"What's Different?" pictures
I Spy books
Zoobz/ K'nex
pop beads
journal writing (I sent home a blank journal for the summer.)
shoe tying
practice fastening (buttons, snaps, zippers, etc.)

In addition, there are a TON of great computer games and apps for smart phones/ tablets.  Your Lexia account will still be up and running this summer, too.  If you need the directions again, just let me know.  While I would limit a young child's screen time to 30-60 minutes a day, these games can keep their brains going to maximize learning retention.  Also consider art projects with coloring, cutting, and gluing to develop fine motor skills.

End of Year Picnic on Friday!

The Longfellow End of Year Picnic is tomorrow!  Come for food, socializing, and fun.  Please note, although the PTO is selling tickets, they plan to have extra food available for sale.

(This is different from the kindergarten picnic on the last day of school during school hours.)

Do Something Fun for Free ths Summer!

Free days can be BUSY!  Chicago Public Schools on a traditional schedule get out on June 15th, so you might consider going before then.  Please visit each website to double check dates.

Adler Planetarium
Free June 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

Art Institute of Chicago
Free 1st & 2nd Wednesdays of the month for Illinois residents
Children under 14 are free.

Brookfield Zoo
Free admission to all U.S. Armed Forces active military and reservist personnel.

Lincoln Park Zoo
Always Free!

Chicago Children’s Museum
Navy Pier
Free for everyone – Every Thursday evenings, 5-8pm
Free for ages 15 and under – First Sunday of every month

DuSable Museum of African American History
Hyde Park
Free on Sundays

Field Museum of Natural History
Free June 1, 4, 5
Museum of Science & Industry
Hyde Park
Free June 4 - 8, 11

National Museum of Mexican Art
Pilsen
Always free!

The Oriental Institute
Hyde Park
Always free!

Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum
Lincoln Park
Free on Thursdays

Shedd Aquarium
Free June 17 - 22

Garfield Park Conservatory
Always free!

Oak Park Conservatory Trip

Next Wednesday, May 9th, our class and Ms. Mulsoff's class are walking to the Oak Park Conservatory. We have been learning a lot about seeds and plants in science and our new reading unit. We'll leave around 9:10 and walk over. I need two parent volunteers to come with us. Unfortunately, our group number is already at the capacity the Conservatory allows, so please make other arrangements for younger siblings. We'll be back in time for lunch, so hot lunch and milk are still an option. Be sure to wear comfortable shoes and appropriate clothing for the weather that day.

Olympic Day is May 18th

Have you been looking for a way to participate a little more at Longfellow School? Our annual Olympic Day needs you! Olympic Day is a great 1/2 day sports/fitness/health event featuring our wonderful P.E. teacher Ms. Patterson and a climbing wall. Our K, 3, and 5 classes will be participating in the morning, 1,2,and 4 in the afternoon. If you want to volunteer at this great event, please e-mail Lori Bradford at ldemain@sbcglobal.net, or call 763-0225. Morning shift is 7:45-11, afternoon is 11:45-3. The volunteer lunch is at 11.

Super Summer Math

Earlier this week, sign-up sheets went home for Super Summer Math. This is a wonderful program for which I strongly encourage you to sign up. It is run by Longfellow at the Maze Library. (I hope you will be there anyway checking out lots of books over the summer!) Even if you can't go to SSM each week, you can still get credit for the work you do at home or on vacation. I really hope you consider it!
Please note however, there is an error on the form. In years past, there has been a pizza party as a reward for those who participate all 6 weeks. Our district Wellness Committee has eliminated food-related rewards. In lieu of pizza, students who participate all 6 weeks will earn extra math bucks to spend on prizes.

A to Z Countdown

Dear Parents,

The end of theyear is drawing near. We count down thedays of school from A-Z during the last 26 days of school. Below, you will find an explanation of each letterday. There are days when your child has to bring in items, as well as days whenwe will do something special and fun at school. Please help your child on the days that he/shehas to bring something in or have something prepared. (Those days are in bold.) Can you believe it? We start this Wednesday!

Thanks so much!

Ms. Vietzen

4/25 A-Animal Day: Bring in a picture of your favorite animal. Write down a fact about your animal that youthink others might not know.

4/26 B-Baby Day: Bring in a picture of yourself when you were a baby.

4/30 C -Crown Day: We’ll crown the kings and queens of kindergarten!

5/1 D-Dancing Day: We’ll dance today during recess!

5/2 E- Exercise Day: Today is ACES - All Children Exercising Simultaneously. Be sure to wear gym shoes!

5/3 F- Favorite Book Day: Bring in your favorite book to share/read duringstations.

5/4 G- Game Day: Bring in your favorite game to play. (No electronics)

5/7 H-Hopscotch Day: We play hopscotch at recess today!

5/8 I- Inside Out Day: Wear something inside out!

5/9 J- Jump Rope Day: Bring in a jumprope to play with atrecess. I have a few to lend out.

5/10 K- Kindness Day: Share some extra kindnesstoday.

5/11 L- LollipopDay: What’s your favorite flavor? We’llgraph them. I’ll provide the lollipops.

5/14 M- MusicDay: We’ll listen to a variety of different music today.

5/15 N- Nickel Day: Bring a nickel toschool. We’ll sort and graph them by year.

5/16 O -On Your Mark, Get Set, Go! We will haveraces at recess.

5/17 P- Puzzle Day: We’ll do puzzlestoday…crossword, search & finds, word searches, jigsaw and more!

5/18 Q- Quiz Your Teacher Day:See if you can “stump” Ms. Vietzen with a hard question.

5/21 R- Read-a-thon Day: Tally how many booksyou read today.

5/22 S- Sidewalk Chalk Day: Today we will gooutside and draw with sidewalk chalk.

5/23 T – Tying Shoes Day: If you have them, wear shoes with laces and we’ll practice tying. If you already know, you can help a friend!

5/24 U- UnforgettableDay: Share your favorite experience in kindergarten. What will you miss nextyear?

5/25 V- Video Day: Today we will watch a video.

5/29 W- WearLongfellow Gear: Wear Longfellow clothes today

5/30 X- eXtra Practice Day: What do you think you need to practice to getready for first grade? We’ll each get inour own practice today.

5/31 Y- YearEnd Cleaning: We’ll clean our tables, room, and cubbies!

6/1 Z- Zipand Zoom: Today is our last day of school so we’ll celebrate by zipping andzooming around Longfellow Park. Have agreat summer!

CROP Hunger Walks help children and families worldwide – and right here in the U.S. – to have food for today, while building for a better tomorrow. Our local efforts are making a huge difference... and you are part of it! This is the 29th year for Oak Park's participation. In
honor of that, third graders are attempting to raise $2029. Non-perishable food items will also be collected.

Walk Date: May 6
Step Off: 2 PM
Location: Pilgrim Congregational Church

Every dollar raised for our CROP Hunger Walk will be increased this year! The Feinstein Foundation will divide $1 million among hunger-fighting events during March and April, and our CROP Hunger Walk is just such an event. The more funds we raise, the more we'll receive – so every dollar counts even more! Please make all checks payable to CWS- CROP Walk.

Annual Fun Run

The District Fun Run will be held on Saturday, May 12, 8am at Lindberg Park. Sign up forms and information are in the Digital Backpack. It is a different event than the Fun Run we had last fall. It is free of charge (organized by PE teachers) to promote physical fitness.

Have You Helped Out at School This Year?

It is coming to the end of the year and the PTO wants to have a night for all those parents who have helped out throughout the year to make this another successful year. Please join the PTO on April 19th at Buzz Cafe from 7-9 with appetizers and drinks.

Fantastic Fridays and a Couple of Terrific Thursdays

Mismatch Day (Thursday, April 5) - Wear clashing clothes like stripes with plaid or polka dots.
Stuffed Animal Day (April 13) - Bring your favorite inanimate fuzzy friend to school.
Blast from the Past Day (April 20) - Dig out those clothes from the 1960’s, 70’s, 80’s etc.
Jersey Day (Thursday, April 26) - Help celebrate Longfellow’s first Sports Night (tonight 5:30-7:30 PM)!
Pajama Day (May 4) - Come dressed in your pajamas. (Make sure they are appropriate for school.)
Weird Hair Day (May 11) - Gravity defying do’s? Pink, green or blue streaks? Give it a try!
Sports Day (May 18) - Now is the time for all that sports paraphernalia!
Twin Day (May 25) - Did you ever want to be a twin? This is your chance!
Flip-Flop Friday (June 1) - Celebrate the end of the school year by wearing your favorite flip-flops!

Bear Necessity Slips

Today children will go home with a Bear Necessity Slip for them to earn from YOU over break. If they are especially safe, responsible, and respectful in your family setting, sign the form and return it after break.

Health Lessons

Starting after break, our social worker, Canika Prescott, will come in each Monday morning to teach health. The kindergarten health program consists of identifying emotions, how our bodies feel when we experience those emotions, appropriate ways to react to those feelings, and what facial expressions would signal those feelings in others. At the end of her time with us, Ms. Prescott will also be talking about safe touches. She teaches children to identify safe and unsafe touches and what to do in case someone touches them in an unsafe way. I have always felt these are very important and age-appropriate lessons, but if you'd like to preview any of them, just let me know.

P.E.

In Physical Education students will be practicing gymnastics from April 5th through April 18th. Please make sure that your child wears shorts or pants for PE. Long hair needs to be tied back. As usual, kindergarteners need to wear gym shoes.

Summer in Song

As some of you know, I co-direct a 1st-3rd grade chorus here, the Longfellow Larks. My co-director, Jennifer Trueman Resek, a school neighbor and former Longfellow parent, is teaching a class this summer called "Summer in Song" through the Oak Park Education Foundation.
This particular class is for students who will be in 1st - 4th grade next year. You can find more information at www.opef.org/basecamp/register/. Camps filled up fast last summer, so register soon! There are other classes for various grade levels in this summer's program including LEGO Landmarks for incoming first graders. B.A.S.E. Camp runs from June 4-29, but classes vary in start dates, times, lengths and locations. Programs are open to students from any school. This year there are three locations: Julian Middle School, Brooks Middle School, and Oak Park and River Forest High School.

A Reminder from Nurse Angie

The weather may be beautiful, but we have reached the peak of flu season and many students and staff are calling in sick. Please remember District 97's policy that any child with a fever > 100 degrees and cough/ respiratory symptoms should be excluded until clinical recovery (fever-free for 24 hours without fever-reducing meds). We know parents and guardians are busy and need to work, however students need to stay home until they are fully recovered so as not to make others sick. Please contact Nurse Angie with any questions or concerns. Thank you!

Scholastic book order forms went home this week. If you do not wish to order, no problem. If you would like to order books, please complete the form by Friday, March 16. 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: G8Q66We earn a free book for the classroom library every time a parent places an order online.
•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 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 the flyer.
•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.

Splat the Cat Author

Rob Scotton is coming to the Magic Tree Bookstore on Oak Park Ave. on Tuesday, March 13 at 4pm. Rob will do a drawing demo so kids see how he draws Splat the Cat! For more info, call the book store at 708-848-0770.

PACK Week Next Week!

Pack Assorted Colors for Kids Week starts Monday the 12th to encourage children to eat fruits and vegetables in a variety of colors. We're keeping track of the amount of fruits and vegetables we eat at school and wearing clothes to match them next week. Here's our schedule:
Monday (3/12) – eat and wear PURPLE
Tuesday (3/13) – eat and wear WHITE
Wednesday (3/14) – eat and wear RED
Thursday (3/15) – eat and wear GREEN
Friday (3/16) – eat and wear YELLOW/ORANGE

Last Call for Book It! Calendars

Please turn in any Book It! Calendars you have for February as well as any older ones you have sitting around. Anyone who has participated all 5 months (Oct-Feb) will be invited to a lunch celebration at school. If you would like to keep track of your reading in March, use any calendar you find online and turn it in to me at the end of the month. I'll give you a coupon for a free personal pizza. All coupons expire by May 1.

Help Create “Longfellowville” from LEGO

Are you a LEGO master or an aspiring engineer or architect? Longfellow wants your help in designing Longfellowville, a town made from LEGO. Using LEGO, design any building that you would see in a typical town or city (ex. school, grocery store, house, gas station, etc. ) Bring it to school and it will be displayed in the front entryway. Be sure to include the following information: your name, teacher's name, and the building name. Designs should be no larger than 8” wide x 8“ long x 8” high. Entries should be delivered in person to Mr. Pod or Mrs. Pasquinelli between 7:45-8:00am, from March 12th-16th. Your entries will be returned in early April. A special thanks to Gretchen Junker for helping make this project possible. Please contact Mr. Pod (epodlasek@op97.org) with any questions. We can’t wait to see your creations!!!

Nourish to Flourish

This month's Nourish to Flourish theme has been exercise. 60minutes of exercise per day in children includes such benefits as:

• Improving resistance to certain diseases
• Building healthy lungs and heart
• Helping maintain a healthy weight
• Boosting energy levels and mood
• Enhancing creativity and self-esteem
• Creating more positive attitude toward school
• Growing brain cells and increases oxygen to the brain
• Improving brain efficiency for learning and memory
• Improving concentration, focus and test scores
• Helping students sleep better

Students have taken part in Workout Wednesdays during lunch with fun activities. Last Friday we did the Cha Cha Slide with the whole school over the PA. Here are some exercise ideas you could do as a family:

• Go for a family walk after dinner.
• Walk to school instead of driving. When driving, park far away and walk.
• Cut back on TV, video and computer games. Allow time for more physical activity.
• Invent fun, active games, and exercise together.
• Take walking tours of historic sites.
• Have a family dance party, or hula –hoop contest.
• Jump rope to music.
• Create an obstacle course - include the concepts over, under, around, and through.
• Learn a new sport, or reinvent a traditional sport.

Valentine's Day

Next Tuesday we will celebrate Valentine's Day. If you would like to bring in cards for the class, please be sure to bring one for EVERYONE. We have 18 students in the class. Also, please do NOT fill out the "to" line. It can be difficult for some children to read those names when it is time to pass them out. Just fill out the "from" line. You are also welcome to bring a treat to share, though it isn't necessary. Make sure it is nut-free.
We'll have a relaxed day; not our usual party with stations. I have empty Kleenex boxes for students to decorate and a few Valentine activities planned. It should be fun!

Oral to Written Language

Our staff has been discussing any gaps in our curriculum from one grade to the next. For example, in one year there may not be much emphasis on a particular subject, but the next year the rigor of that same subject makes it difficult for students to keep up. For the most part, our curriculum matches up from grade level to grade level! However, writing can be a struggle in older grades and teachers cite a lack of correct oral language as a detriment to written language.
I suggest having a time in your house when correct language should be used, for example at the dinner table or in public. In an age of text language and quick, unedited emails, many students never learn to speak formally. Children should, of course, be comfortable with how they speak and be given a time to speak without being corrected. However, there is a time and place, from childhood to adulthood, when formal language is appropriate and necessary. From writing a letter to an essay, from ordering at a restaurant to interviewing for a job, people need to speak in complete sentences with correct grammar.
Learning that starts now. For example, if you hear your child say "'cuz" instead of because, correct him or her. Most kindergarteners don't know that these are the same word and one is actually incorrect. If you ask them a question, instead of replying "yeah," they should reply, "Yes, I would," etc. Again, I wouldn't correct your child every time. I don't want speaking to become frustrating to them or hurt their self-esteem. However, set a time of day or setting of your home or community when that speech is taught, and teach your child when they need to use it.
Hopefully, not only will this make writing easier as they get older, but your children will have another tool they need to become a successful adult!

Checking in with Reading

I have assessed your child on some of the reading skills kindergarteners are expected to know by the end of the trimester on March 2nd. Please work on any highlighted areas from the note that is coming home.
Phonological Awareness:

• isolates beginning and ending sounds (at least 5 out of 6)



• blends sounds into words orally/ aurally



• segments words into sounds orally/ aurally



• separates words into syllables



• produces rhymes

Knows the sounds of the consonants (Since many children know all or some, I checked for short vowel sounds as well, though they are not expected of kindergarteners.)

Reads at least 20 sight words

100th Day Collection

Next Thursday, February 2nd is our 100th Day of School! Students are welcome to bring in a collection of 100 things to show the rest of the class. The collection should be able to fit in your student's backpack. You can bring it in anytime between now and then. Some ideas include:

• a building of 100 Legos


• 100 pennies


• 100 stickers


• a 100 paperclip chain


• 100 mini-marshmallows


• 100 pieces of candy


• 100 Cheerios

Scholastic Book Orders

Scholastic book order forms went home this week. If you do not wish to order, no problem. If you would like to order books, please complete the form by Friday, January 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

We earn a free book for the classroom library every time a parent places an order online.
•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 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 the flyer.
•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.

Checking in with Math

I've been assessing students on some of the 2nd trimester math expectations and am sending a note home to reflect this. The trimester ends on March 2, so please practice any highlighted skills on your note so kids are up to par by then!
Count to 70 or beyond.
Count to 100 by 10s.
Count back from 12.
Identify any number 20 or less, in random order.
Write any number 15 or less, in random order. A backward digit is still acceptable, but digits out of order are not (not 41 for 14.)

I'll assess some reading skills and send home another note soon.

Kindergarten Registration Opening Soon!

In case you have another little one entering school next year or know a friend or neighbor with one, please check out the district website or click here.

Box Tops for Education

The PTO collects Box Tops (those pink labels on certain foods and household products) all year round to raise money for the school. However, for the next month, we will have a school wide contest for bragging rights awarded to the classroom that can collect the most amount of Box Tops. Don't throw them away or recycle them! Bring them into school; the PTO will do the counting. You can bring them in at any time this year, but the contest lasts until February 10th. Last year this contest raised over $1,000 for the school!

Nourish to Flourish

Our Wellness Committee is focusing on adequate sleep and a healthy breakfast for the month of January.

• The week of the 16th and 23rd, you will have a homework assignment! With adult help, students should track the number of hours of sleep they get each night. I will send home a graph with which to do this.


• "What's Your Sleep Secret?" Students are also welcome to bring in their personal advice on how to fall asleep. Advice will be posted on the bulletin board outside the library.


• January 27th is Pajama Day! Make sure pajamas are appropriate for school.


• January 27th is also a day to eat a healthy breakfast at school. Think of all the time you'll save not having to get dressed or eat breakfast at home! Students are welcome to bring something healthy to eat for breakfast in our classroom. Please bring everything you will need (silverware, milk, etc.) Breakfasts should be nut free. Suggestions include fruit, yogurt, whole grain cereal/ toast/ bagel, low-fat cheese, and hard-boiled eggs.

A Few Reminders...

• Turn in your Book It! calendars for December if you haven't already. If you ever lose a calendar, you can print any one off the internet.


• Tuesday is our day to check out books at the library. Today students "graduated" to the privilege of checking out two books. They cannot check out any books if another is overdue, so make sure to return them each week.


• Tuesday and Friday are our P.E. days. Don't forget gym shoes, especially on days when students wear boots to school. They may want to dress in layers, too, in case they get hot in the gym.


• You wouldn't guess it from the weather lately, but it IS winter. Make sure to dress appropriately for the weather. We go outside unless the temperature or windchill dip into the single digits. Label all your things!


• Please continue to bring a folder back and forth to school. If you lose yours or it is ruined, please replace it. Empty it at home each night.