A Request from Nurse Jenn

The nurse's office is running very low on boys and girls pants. If you have any gently-used clothing you could donate, it would be much appreciated!

Mrs. Friesen's 1st Trimester Newsletter

http://www.op97.org/jfriesen/index.cfm

Mathathon

Every year our school participates in the Mathathon, which raises money for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. This will be our 8th year participating.  In the last 7 years, Longfellow has raised about $38,645! While it is completely optional to participate in, many students enjoy it because they are able to do fun math problems and win prizes while raising money to help kids who are sick.  Information/consent forms were sent home. Math funbooks will be sent home before winter break. (Student can also do the funbooks online which they are able to start ASAP.) Money raised will be due by Friday, Jan. 24th so students have all of winter break to complete the math problems and collect the money. The class that raises the most money will get 10 bear necessities each!!  If you have any more questions about this, please contact Ms. Smith at esmith@op97.org.

OPEF's BASE Camp - Gadget Day

Gadget Day on Monday, January 20th (Martin Luther King Day), is now open for registration! Parents can register here, or download the attached registration form.

Gadget Day is for all kids in grades K-8 (not just D97 kids), and will run 8 AM - 3 PM at Brooks.

• K-5th graders will rotate through four fun, 90-minute activities involving LEGOs, sculpture that moves, gym games and 3D games. 
• 6th-8th grade boys and girls can choose Build a Bike, a partner program with Working Bikes, a nonprofit bike repair shop in Chicago. Take a field trip in the morning and create artwork with bike parts in the afternoon!
  
• 6th-8th grade girls can also choose Build A Bird, a partnership with Triton College's GADgET Girls program (Girls Adventuring in Design, Engineering & Technology), designing and building a mechanical bird.

Cost is $65 for K-5th graders, $75 for 6th-8th graders, with a limited number of scholarships available to D97 students.  It will be a fun day, full of gadgets, games and gizmos!

Registration is now open at opef.org/basecamp.

Annual Holiday Oak Park and River Forest Food Drive

The Student Council is sponsoring a food drive to benefit the Oak Park River Forest Food Pantry. The students have set a goal of 703 items - 1 item for every student at Longfellow.  The Food Pantry is asking for many different items this year.  The need is great.  Please turn in items by Thursday, December 12.

Food

Beans 

Canned Beef Stew 

Peanut Butter 

Canned Ravioli 

Canned Tuna / Salmon 

Cereal 

Pasta 

Rice 

Canned Fruit 

Canned Vegetables 

Condiments 

Beverages / Coffee / Tea 

Jelly 

Macaroni and Cheese 

Pasta / Tomato Sauce 

Potatoes 

Rice 

Snacks 

Soup 

Canned Tomatoes 

Specialty Items: Low Sodium, Gluten Free, Whole Wheat

Cleaning Items 

All Purpose Cleaner 

Dish Soap 

Laundry Detergent 

Window Cleaner 

Baby Items 

Baby Food 

Diapers 

Formula 

Toiletry Items (full size preferred) 

Adult Diapers 

Feminine Hygiene Products 

Laundry Soap 

Moisturizer 

Razors 

Shampoo / Conditioner 

Shaving Cream 

Soap

 

Cash and checks are welcome, too!

Items the Food Pantry Can’t Accept: 

Expired Items 

Homemade or home-canned foods 

Medications (prescriptions / over the counter) 

Open Items 

Products not in their original packaging

Tuesday, November 26th

• PBIS Game Day - To celebrate all the good behavior of the first trimester, students are welcome to bring their favorite game to school on Tuesday.  (Please no Pokemon cards or electronic games.)  We will find time in the afternoon to play games and celebrate our successes!
• Career Day - In the morning we will hear from 5 parents, including 3 of our own!  We look forward to it and thank you for coming!

Scholastic Orders

A Scholastic Book order form went home today.  If you would like to order, you can fill it out and send it back to me by Friday, 12/6, with a check made out to Scholastic, OR order online by Friday, 12/6 at https://orders.scholastic.com/G8Q66 Click on "register now."  Our class Activation Code is G8Q66.

Volunteering in the Classroom

We are getting into our classroom routines!  Students are writing a little more and would love your help at the writing center during workshop.  They might need help with writing topics or with sounding out words, or just need encouragement to keep trying!
I'd love to have a helper in the room from 9:45 - 11am on Mondays and Fridays.  If one of these times works for you, please email me.  Let me know if you're able to come every week, or need to share a day with another parent and come every other week.  (It is a little less of a commitment for you and you have a "sub" if a conflict comes up in your schedule.)

What's Happening?

• The Fun Run is this Friday!  Kindergarteners should wear blue shirts.  We'll run at 12:10.  Visit www.longfellowfunrun.dojiggy.com to make your online donations.
• The Annual Pumpkin Festival will be held again this year.  Students can decorate a pumpkin and enter it into one of the following categories: Pre-K through 1st, 2nd and 3rd, 4th and 5th, or Family (Decorated by 2 or more family members.)  Pumpkins can be dropped off between 7:45 and 8:00 on Oct 30 or Oct 31st.
• Tuesday, November 26th is Career Day.  Please consider volunteering!  The total time commitment would be about 2 hours, and presenters would share in multiple classrooms.  The tentative time for he event is 8:30 - 10:30 AM.  If you are interested in participating in this wonderful event please fill out the Longfellow Career Day Survey by clicking this link.  We need at least 30 adults to present about their careers, as well as other volunteers to help with the event.  
• Sunrise Study Hall is now open in the library each morning from 7:30-8am.  This is commonly used by older students for reading or finishing up homework before school.  Kindergarteners could look at books or bring a quiet activity.  All students attending will need to stop by the office for a pass before they come up.
• Que pasa?  Senora Lynch's website is http://www.op97.org/lmarinelarena/  Check out what students are doing in Spanish class.  You can find any teacher's website through the Longfellow website.

Opera for the Young

The opera is coming on October 30 to Longfellow School.  This year it will be "The Barber of Seville"  by Gioacchino Rossini, and the Opera for the Young Company of Madison, WI.  The opera is brought to us by our wonderful Longfellow PTO.  This is the 10th opera the PTO has brought to Longfellow, thank you so much!

The Barber of Seville will be set in the 1950"s and Figaro is a biker dude and Rosina, the beautiful young lady will be decked out in a poodle skirt and saddle shoes.   Students are learning the storyline and some of the music in music class.

Halloween

Halloween is two weeks from today!  If your family does not celebrate Halloween, please let me know.  

Students should not wear their costumes to school.  You can bring it in a bag to change into after lunch.  Please be aware no weapons are allowed as part of a costume (toy swords, guns, etc.)

Fingers crossed for good weather!  The school parade starts at 12:45.  All are welcome to watch!

If you would like to help with a class party, email me and I will get volunteers together.  The party will start at noon.  We'll take a break for the parade and art, and continue the party at 2:20.  All are welcome at all or part of the party.  I thought we could get into costumes at noon and do 2-3 games or activities.  After art we could have a Halloween treat.  The district does not allow sugary food for the party, but I have seen some cute, healthy snacks on Pinterest!

Two Computer Programs

On my website here, in the bar to the left, you'll see a picture of a book with a lion on it.  This is a link to our Treasures reading program.  If you would like to work on online activities at home, it is up to you.  Your child may find something he or she likes.  Passwords went home earlier.  The password is a number, a fruit, and a shape.  If you are missing yours, let me know and I will email it to you.

We have also begun Lexia.  We go to the computer lab twice a week to work in this program.  If your child would like to work more at home, it is up to you.  You might ask your child if he or she knows what to do.  The point is for him or her to work independently, but if there is some frustration you can help get them going by clarifying any confusion.

The website is http://www.lexiacore5.com/  The first time you login from a machine, you will need to enter my email address, svietzen@op97.org  Then it will ask for your child's username and password.  Copies of those will be sent home today.  You can also find a link to the program on the district's website.  Go to www.op97.org > Students tab > Lexia Core 5

Passport has begun!

We are into our second week of Passport to Reading.  This is a school-wide program conducted at each grade level.  Kindergartners were divided up by the skill each is working on.  Every four weeks we will reassess and regroup.  Passport to Reading occurs every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 8:10 - 8:40, so please be especially sure to be on time to school.  Your child may go to another teacher's room.

On Wednesdays, the kindergarten also does Passport to Math.  Right now we are working on counting, number identification, and one-to-one correspondence.  Again, students were grouped according to the practice they may need with these skills, and might work with another teacher.  The groups are fluid to meet students' changing needs.

Fun Run!

The Fun Run is a major fundraiser for the PTO, which provides many wonderful things for Longfellow.  Please consider pledging money.  All children will participate in the run on Friday, October 18.  Kindergartners will run at 12:10 and should wear blue.  We had a kick off pep rally yesterday morning to inform students; flyers are going home today with pledge envelopes.  However, there is mistake in the website address.  Please go to: http://www.longfellowfunrun.dojiggy.com/ instead of the site listed.

B.E.A.R.

The October B.E.A.R. reading calendars went home last week.  If your child reads for 25 minutes, 20 days a month, mark those days and return the calendar to school.  (Kindergarten homework is already to read for 20 minutes a night, so this isn't much more!)  For every calendar returned, your child will receive a bookmark.  If your child completes and returns six out of seven monthly calendars, he or she will receive a book to keep at the end of the year.  If you ever lose a monthly calendar, just find one on the internet to use.

Today blank bookmarks will go home.  These are also optional homework.  Students can design a bookmark to promote reading.  There are two typos on the flyer.  One, the return date is next Tuesday, October 8, not tomorrow.  Also, include your child's grade, as the bookmark says, not his or her age, as the directions say.  Some bookmarks will be chosen to be reprinted and distributed as prizes for returned calendars, mentioned above.

Scholastic Book Order

A Scholastic Book order form went home today.  If you would like to order, you can fill it out and send it back to me by Friday, 9/20, with a check made out to Scholastic, OR order online by Friday, 9/20 at https://orders.scholastic.com/G8Q66 Click on "register now."  Our class Activation Code is G8Q66.

Box Top Raffle

A Box Top raffle contest form went home today.  Fill it up with 25 Box Tops for Education and enter it for a chance to win a $5 credit at the school Book Fair in October.  However, even after the raffle, keep the Box Tops coming any time!  The PTO collects them all year and uses the money for great things at Longfellow.

Picture Day is Tuesday!

Order forms went home last week.  You can send them in any time by Tuesday.  (Our time to go is 10:10 - pre-recess!)  If you've misplaced the form or would prefer to order online, go to:  www.inter-state.com and use order code 322479.

Walk to School Day!

On Wednesday, October 2nd, 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.

Donation

Dear Kindergarten Families,

In consideration of classroom projects, art supplies used in class, classroom celebrations, and gifts we make for families throughout the year, we are asking for a small donation. The suggested donation is $10 per child.  (No checks please.) If you are able to help with this, please put your donation in an envelope or baggie with your child’s name on it and return it to school. We really appreciate any help!

Sincerely,

The Kindergarten Team

Longfellow is on the lookout!

Several teachers are looking for items you may have at home and are about to toss out.

• Nurse Jenn is looking for gently used boys shorts or pants (any size) and girls underwear.  This helps stock her clothing cabinet for students who need a change of clothes.  (Also, if your child has occasional accidents, please feel free to keep a change of clothes in his or her cubby or backpack.)
• Ms. Florczak, one of our art teachers, is looking for tea boxes, or other similarly sized boxes.
• The 4th grade team is looking for clear 2 liter soda pop bottles.

Dates to Know

Curriculum Night: Thursday, August 29 at 6:00pm
Picture Day: Tuesday, September 10
Welcome Back Picnic: Friday, September 27 at 5:30pm
Walk to School Day: Wednesday, October 2

Home 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. 12:00 - 12:30 with Mrs. Patterson (Bring gym shoes!)

Lexia 2:15 - 2:45 with Ms. Vietzen in the computer lab

Tuesday
Music 8:45 - 9:15 with Mrs. Friesen
Spanish 9:15 - 9:45 with Senora Lynch
P.E. 1:20 - 1:50 (Bring gym shoes!)
Wednesday
Spanish 10:25 - 10:55
Thursday
Music 8:45 - 9:15
Spanish 9:15 - 9:45
Art 1:20 - 2:20 with Mrs. Raia
Friday
Lexia 1:05 - 1:35
Library Check-out 1:35 - 2:05 with Mrs. Pearce

There are often changes made to the specials schedule in the first weeks of the year.  I'll update ours here if there are any changes.

Separation Anxiety?

The first week of school (or even more!) 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 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 Remember

• 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, at times (not this week!) it can be a little TOO cool.  You may want to have a sweatshirt on hand.
• The hot lunch 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 and knows the difference between a snack and a lunch.  (Some students see a snack and mistakenly think they have a lunch.)
• Fresh fruits and vegetables and raisins are welcome as a morning and/or afternoon snack. I tell 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 form to the left.
• Please remember to bring in headphones if you haven't already.  We use them quite often for computers and the classroom listening center.  Not sharing headphones helps prevent the spread of lice.

Have Fun This Summer Without the TV!

I hope you make LOTS of time for play this summer! Try many types of activities: board games, 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 children for understanding directions for something new.

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

Other great activities to try:
Chess
Checkers
Trouble
bike riding
hidden picture puzzles
"What's Different?" pictures
I Spy books
Zoobz/ K'nex
pop beads
journal writing
shoe tying

Also consider art projects with coloring, cutting, and gluing to develop fine motor skills.
Don't forget about the OP Public Library Summer Reading Program and Longfellow's Super Summer Math, run out of Maze Library.

In addition, there are a TON of great free/ cheap computer games and apps for smart phones and 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 (TV, computer, etc) time to 30-60 minutes a day, these games can keep their brains going to maximize learning retention. 

Something for Nothing!

Fair warning: free days can be BUSY! Chicago Public Schools on a traditional schedule get out June 19th, so you might consider going before then. Please visit each website to double check dates.

Adler Planetarium
Free June 4, 5, 6, 10, 11, 12

Art Institute of Chicago
Free every Thursday from 5-8pm
Children under 14 are always free.

Lincoln Park Zoo
Always Free!

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

DuSable Museum of African American History in Hyde Park
Free on Sundays

Field Museum of Natural History
Free June 3, 5, 6

Museum of Science & Industry in Hyde Park
Free June 3 - 7, 10

National Museum of Mexican Art in Pilsen
Always free!

The Oriental Institute in Hyde Park
Always free!

Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum in Lincoln Park
Free on Thursdays

Shedd Aquarium
Free June 3, 4, 10, 11, 17, 18, 24, 25

Garfield Park Conservatory
Always free!

And last, but not least:
Millennium Park concerts - Ms. Vietzen's favorite thing about Chicago, you might see her there!
Free concerts several nights a week, so bring a picnic.  (I think this is a great way to expose children to music and concert-going without splurging on an expensive ticket.)  The green and blue lines will get you close, and, if you can keep a secret, parking in the Aon building is $6 if you're in between 3pm and 6pm.

Flip Flop Friday

Because the last day of school changed, Flip Flop Thursday will now be Flip Flop Friday.  For our kindergarten A-Z Countdown, we'll have a "day of rest" between Y and Z so Zip and Zoom Day will coordinate with Flip Flop Friday.
As a reminder, students are not normally allowed to wear flip flops to school.  This is a school policy for their safety.

Hot Lunch

Because the last day has changed, the hot lunch calendar may not have been updated.  Hot lunch on Friday, May 31, will include a beef hot dog on a whole wheat bun, steamed carrots, and red grapes.  Our class will return to school from our picnic across the street for the lunch hour, so hot lunch and milk will be available.

Super Summer Math!

Super Summer Math is designed to keep math fresh in kids’ minds over the summer. The free program is held at Maze Library   We will meet Tuesday evenings 6-7pm and Thurs mornings 10:30-11:30am at the Maze Library from June 4-July 18. Come as often as you can!  Kids earn prizes for doing math packets and will play fun math games. Parents/guardians can help coordinators distribute materials and volunteer to run math activities at the library. Please sign up by May 17 here:  Sign Up for Super Summer Math

P.E. Happenings

- ACES (All Children Exercising Simultaneously) will take place Wednesday, May 8th.  All grades will participate in different activities.  Students need to wear gym shoes.  (This was moved from 5/1 as the fence around the field had not been completely removed by 10am.)

- The FUN RUN will take place on May 11th at 8am at Lindberg Park.  Sign up sheets went home, but Mrs. Patterson has extra ones.

- Olympic Day will be held on May 17th.  Students will participate in many activities including a climbing wall.  Please make sure your child wears gym shoes, shorts or pants, and sun screen.  Kindergarten will participate from 8-11.

Incoming Kindergarten Open House

Do you have a child who will be in kindergarten at Longfellow next year? Do you know someone who will? If so, please come to (or spread the word about) Longfellow's Kindergarten Open House next Wednesday, May 8th. The event is open to all incoming parents/guardians and their soon-to-be kindergartner. Please leave siblings at home since this day is about the incoming kindergartner. We will begin with tours around the building from 2:30-3:00, there will be introductions and a short presentation in the auditorium from 3:00-3:30, and then we will end again with tours from 3:30-4:00. I hope to see you there!

End of the Year Picnic - Friday, May 31

Every year we celebrate the end of kindergarten with a day across the street at Longfellow Park.  We take advantage of the playground, field, and water pad.  If the weather warrants it, students are welcome to wear swimsuits.  Be sure to wear sunscreen, comfortable clothes, and possibly a hat.  Many students like to bring outdoor toys like balls, wiffle bats, frisbees, etc.  Families are welcome.  I'll let you know our schedule closer to the date.

Bummer!

We missed Family Reading Night due to the rain and flooding.  The end of the year is so busy, there are no available dates to make it up.  However, the Book Swap portion will take place Wednesday, May 1 during Sports Night.  You can still bring in books to donate if you wish.

A to Z Countdown

Please help your child on the days that he/she has to bring something in or have something prepared. (Those days are in bold.)   This list was compiled before our Rain Day in April, so this calendar is a day off, but we're going with the dates printed.

April

23 A-Animal Day: Bring in your favorite stuffed animal in a bag and write 3 clues about it so we can guess what it is!

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

25 C-Crazy Mustache Day: Today is Fantastic Friday "Mustache Day". Wear a fake mustache!

29 D-Dancing Day: We’ll be dancing today during playtime! Bring in some cool music to listen and dance to.

30 E- Earn It Day: Today we will be giving out extra bear necessities. See how many you can earn today!

May

1 F-Fitness Day: Today is ACES Day! We'll do morning exercises together.

2 G-Game Day: We'll be playing games today. You're welcome to bring one from home too! (No electronics)

3 H-Hop in your Pajamas Day: Today is our Fantastic Friday “Pajama Day”! Wear your favorite pajamas to school.

6 I- Inside Out Day: Wear something inside out!

7 J- Joke Day: Bring in a joke to share with the class.

8 K-Kindness Day: Share some extra kindness today.

9 L- Lemonade Day: Bring in a lemon to share with the class because we're going to make homemade lemonade!! Yum!

10 M-Major Color Day: Today is our Fantastic Friday “Tie-Dye Day”! Break out your colorful shirt!

13 N-Nickel Day: Bring a nickel to school. We’ll sort and graph them by year.

14 O-Orange Day: Wear something orange, eat something orange, and write with something orange.

15 P-Puzzle Day: We’ll do puzzles today…crossword, search & finds, word searches, jigsaw and more!

16 Q-Quiz Your Teacher Day: See if you can "stump" your teacher with a hard question.

17 R-Root for Your Favorite Sport Day: Today is our Fantastic Friday "Sports Day"! Wear your favorite sports paraphernalia!

20 S-Sidewalk Chalk Day: Today we will go outside and draw with sidewalk chalk.

21 T-Talent Day: Share your special talent with the class.

22 U-Unforgettable Day: Share your favorite experience in kindergarten. What will you miss next year?

23 V- Video Day: Today we will watch a video!

24 W-Wear Twin Outfits Day: Today is our Fantastic Friday "Twin Day". Did you ever want to be a twin? This is your chance!

28 X-Xtra Fun Day: Today we will be having extra recess to enjoy the nice weather!

29 Y-Year End Cleaning Day: Today we’ll clean our tables, room, and cubbies!

31 Z-Zip and Zoom Day: Today is our last day of school, our Kindergarten End of the Year Picnic, and Fantastic Friday “Flip-Flop” Day! That means after we say goodbye we will zip and zoom out of school in our flip flops. Have a great summer!

Family Sports Night

Wednesday, May 1 is Sports Night at Longfellow!  This is the day the field will be OPEN for business!  Come enjoy games and activities both inside and out.  Sports Night starts at 6.

Read, Recite, Recycle!

Family Reading Night is Thursday, April 18th from 6:00 - 7:30 p.m. Part of the evening will include a book swap. Students are encouraged to bring in gently used children's books from now until 4/18. Chapter books are especially needed. On Family Reading Night your child will be able to take home "new" books.

Science Night: Wednesday, April 24th

Schedule of the evening’s events:

5:45-6:15:  2^nd grade science fair projects on display in classrooms
6:00-7:00:  Hands-on scientific investigations in the gym
7:00-7:30:  Feature presenters in the auditorium
7:30:  Raffle

Oak Park Conservatory Visit

We have been studying seeds and plants.  On Tuesday, April 23, our class will walk over to the Oak Park Conservatory.  We would love 2-3 adults to join us!  Please email me if you are able to help.  We'll leave shortly after 9am so we can start our tour at 9:30.  We will return to school around 10:45.  (Lunch will be as usual.)  Be sure to wear comfortable shoes and dress for the weather!

Summer Programs

Unfortunately, D97 is not offering its usual School Daze summer school program this year.  Please see the district website for other Oak Park summer programs.  I hope you consider joining the library's annual summer reading program!  I'll pass along information about that as it becomes available.

Fantastic Fridays and a Couple of Terrific Thursdays, from the Student Council

Stuffed Animal Day (April 5)
Bring your favorite inanimate fuzzy friend to school.  (It should be able to fit in your backpack.)

Mismatch Day (April 12)

Wear clashing clothes, like stripes with plaid or polka dots.

Weird Hair Day (April 19)

Gravity defying do’s? Pink, green or blue streaks? Give it a try!

Mustache Day (Thursday, April 25)

Handlebar, horseshoe, Dali, Fu Manchu: try a mustache on for size!

PJ Day (May 3)

Come dressed in your pajamas. (Make sure they are appropriate for school.)

Tie-Dye Day (May 10)

Break out your favorite tie-dye T-shirt!

Sports Day (May 17)

Now is the time for all that sports paraphernalia!

Twin Day (May 24)
Did you ever want to be a twin?  This is your chance!

Flip Flop Day (Thursday, May 30)
Celebrate the end of the school year by wearing your favorite flip flops!

Spring Arts Fiesta

Mark your calendar!  The Kindergarten Spring Arts Fiesta is Thursday, May 2nd from 8:50-9:15 in the Longfellow Auditorium.  (Please note this may be different than a friend's time.  Two kindergarten homerooms are going at one time and three more at another.)

Bookworms

You may have heard about "Bookworms" from your kindergartener.  This is a lunchtime program I've hosted for first and second grade for a few years now.  I just opened it up to kindergarten.  We meet during the first half of lunch on Thursdays, in lieu of going outside.  Some students have stayed in to give it a try.  If you'd like to make it "official," just email me and I'll add his/her name to my list.  If not, no worries.  I know many don't want to miss a minute of outside recess!

Scholastic Books

Scholastic book order forms went home yesterday. If you do not wish to order, no problem. If you would like to order books, please complete the form by Friday, March 22. 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.

Thank you!

Longfellow raised $3851.91 for St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital.  Way to go!  Our class came in 2nd place with $577.  Thank you for being so generous!

Winter Carnival

Have fun tomorrow!  Lots of info has been going home in paper and Longfellow email form about this great annual event.  Have a great time and support Longfellow's PTO which does wonderful things for our school!

Box Tops

Keep sending 'em in!
There will be another competition at some point this year, though dates have not been set.

Nourish to Flourish

Longfellow's Nourish to Flourish theme for March is nutrition. We will celebrate P.A.C.K. (Pack Assorted Colors for Kids) Week March 11th-15th.  During this week, kids are encouraged to both eat a fruit or vegetable and wear the color of the day.

Monday: Green

Tuesday: White

Wednesday: Yellow/Orange

Thursday: Purple

Friday: Red

 

That week, we will use tally marks to keep track of the fruits and vegetables of all colors we eat at school (lunch and snack.)

Reading Calendars

Don't forget to turn in your February reading calendar!  March calendars went home today.  If you lost yours, any calendar printed off the internet will do.

Nourish to Flourish!

Each year, our Longfellow Wellness Committee sponsors monthly "Nourish to Flourish" themes.  Our Nourish to Flourish themes for January are adequate sleep and a healthy breakfast.  Friday, January 25th is Pajama Day!  Students are invited to wear (school-appropriate) pajamas all day to school.  In addition, students are welcome to bring a healthy breakfast to school that we'll eat first thing.  Healthy breakfast suggestions include: a fruit cup, low-sugar cereal, whole wheat toast or bagel, or a hard boiled egg.  Please bring any bowls, utensils, etc you might need to eat your breakfast.  Just think of all the extra sleep you can get when you don't have to get dressed or eat breakfast that morning!

100th Day of School

Thursday, January 31st is our 100th day of school, so we'll have several special activities to celebrate the day.  If you'd like to bring in a collection of 100 "things," please feel free to do so.  Starting thinking now of something fun!  It might be 100 Legos, paperclips, pennies, buttons, stickers, or something I haven't thought of yet!  Please make sure your collection fits in your backpack.  You can bring it in anytime that week of January 28th.  If you have any questions, just let me know!

Volunteering

If anyone is willing and available to come into the classroom on Monday or Tuesday mornings, please let me know.  We'd love to have you as a regular guest at the writing center.  We are becoming great writers!  However, many students could use a little help choosing a topic, giving details, sounding out, or checking their words to make sure they make sense.  We have workshop at 9:45 on Mondays and at 9:20 on Tuesdays.  Please let me know if you can commit about an hour each week at either of these times.  In the past, I've also had parents pair up and take every other week, as that was more convenient for their schedules.  Thanks in advance!

Health Curriculum

Longfellow's two psychology interns, Mrs. Schumacher and Ms. Jenny, have been coming in to teach our health curriculum.  I think they are great lessons with very age-appropriate language.  I just thought I'd let you know that students are learning about safe touches.  We've reviewed that the only people who touch your private areas do so to keep you clean and healthy.  Wednesday we'll talk about what to do if someone breaks the safe touching rule: tell them to stop, get away, and tell a trusted adult.  If you have any questions, please let me know.

A Message from Mrs. Patterson

Our gym is rather warm and, given the time of year, kids wear a lot of warm clothes.  Please make sure your child wears a short sleeved T-shirt with layers over it on days with Physical Education (Mondays and Fridays.)  We keep the students very active.  Please also be sure to pack gym shoes on those days.  This can be a little harder to remember on snowy days with winter boots.  Thank you.