May 9th, 2011
Dear Parents,
I hope you all had a blessed Mother’s Day! The marigold plants do well outside as soon as the threat of frost is over. We had fun tending them! I hope you enjoyed those wonderful letters! They all came up with different things to tell their mom! This week they’ll write letters to their elderly friends, and to Mrs. Windjue. Writing letters is a wonderful skill and so that’s what we’re emphasizing right now in Writer’s Workshop. It’s a great way to say thank you! I also hope you enjoyed the circus! They did a marvelous job, and learned so much about themselves and teamwork, too!
This week is busy too with our last circus performance for the people at Westhills Village tomorrow. We’ll leave by 12:45pm to be there ready at 1:00pm. This is our second community service and what a way to show the talents God gives us by sharing with others who don’t always get that entertainment. We also have an artist coming to our school this week and we’ll have a chance to work with him.
Our last two and a half weeks are here! We’ll use them to review some of our favorite activities and do a few new ones, too. No new math game this week. This will be the last week of playing those games before you return it so be sure to play those favorites! We’re busy with end of the year assessments, too, so not many weekly papers will come home. I save some of their last work for their portfolios. These move on with them to first grade and will be added to each year. I did send home a lot of their writing from their folders, most of it including poetry. It is so amazing to see their growth this year.
This Friday is our Track Meet with other Christian schools at the School of Mine’s track. The children need to come directly to the track by 8:30 to 8:45AM. It lasts until about 2PM. Your child needs to be accompanied by an adult at all times. There are lots of children there and could easily get lost in the hustle and bustle of events. This year the boys will have their running events first, in the morning, while the girls have their field event in the morning. Then as soon as all the boys’ running events are finished, around 11:30, it switches to the girls’ running events and the boys’ field events. It is a long day for the little ones, even though it’s fun. Send sunscreen, layers of clothes, snacks, water and a lunch. The concession is supposed to be open, too. I’ll be busy taking our class to running events, so there is a sign-up sheet asking for help taking our kids to the field events. If anyone could volunteer to help out with that, I would appreciate it! Check what events your child is in on the paper in this folder and sign-up to help with the event they are in. A few will also run in a relay. Watch for our sea of green shirts to know where to sit! Be sure to wear your Zion shirt that day! If the meet happens to get cancelled because of weather conditions, the rain date is scheduled for Monday, May 16th.
Friday, May 20th, is our second End-of-the-Year Spring Dance! We’ll have a DJ and a Hawaiian theme, with lots of fun group dances to learn as a family! More on the time next week.
Wednesday, May 25th, is our graduation, with chapel first at 8:30 and our graduation right afterwards, about 9am. We hope you can come. The children will receive their diplomas and their school Bibles will be presented. Refreshments will follow. After this I will take the group back to the room, but if anyone doesn’t want to come back at 11:15 when we end they are free to take them after graduation.
This week we’ll put together a summer calendar to bring home. It’ll have fun little things to do during the summer to help keep them busy. Don’t let them get rusty. Encourage writing notes, lists, using numbers, etc. I encourage you to use the summer reading program at the public library. You can get their reading log at the library or online. This would be a great time to get that first library card! Keep them reading every day!
June 6th through the 10th is Vacation Bible School. Be thinking of friends to ask along. Sign up sheets are available! We still need helpers, so let us know if you’d like to help that week! It starts at 9am and goes to noon.
God’s blessings on your week!
Natalie Graumann