Newsletter 17: Week of January 28

Week Overview

It was another great week at school together! So far everyone is staying relatively healthy, but we have had several people gone on vacations.  One thing that stuck out to me this week was the beautiful friendships your children are forming and the way that they miss each other and pray for each other when someone is not there.


Important Dates

February 9: NO PM Bus – NO Hot Lunch

February 13: 100th Day – Provided no snow or illness days 🙂

February 14: Valentine’s Day

February 19: President’s Day break – No School (Preschool-8th)

February 28: All School Chapel 9:00


Reminders

Dear families,

As we close the first semester and begin the next, we have much to be grateful for! God has been good to us! There is also a lot going on and so we’ve compiled a list of the most important announcements we’d like to make sure to communicate well to you. If you have any questions, please let us know!

Thank you!

Your Kindergarten Team

  • Report cards will be available online starting January 26.
  • Accessing the report card
    • If you don’t have a login to Parent Portal please fill out the acceptable use policy found here. Please return the form to the office and they can process your request for an Infinite Campus Login.
    • If you have a login already but don’t remember your password, please contact Barb at ZPS to reset your password.  Email: bvanginh@zps.org
  • Report card grading system
    • The skills left blank on the report card have not been taught fully or assessed yet. We will be covering these skills more in the 2nd half of the school year.
    • A 1 indicates that a child is beginning to reach that goal, a 2 indicates that a child is developing that skill, and a 3 indicates that a child has mastered that skill. It is perfectly acceptable for a child to be at a level 2 right now. We are hoping that all students are growing past a 1 at this point, but kindergarten is all about beginning school skills. The next couple of months are big months for learning and growth!
    • Please let me know if you have any concerns or questions. I would love to talk with you about your child’s report card!!
  • In February, Kindergarteners at ZCS collect money for our sister school in the Philippines. This is a beautiful way for the kids to show love to their neighbors far away. A handout with more information will be going home next week, but for now, please put it on your radar and begin thinking of ways your child might be able to be extra helpful around the house to earn money for our sponsor school.
  • Valentine’s Day: We’re looking forward to celebrating friendship and being extra mindful of Jesus’ command to love one another on Wednesday. February 14! Kids will participate in a variety of math and literacy centers, including passing out valentines. If you are going to do valentines (yes, this is optional!) we ask that you please leave the “To:__” section blank. If you choose to bring valentines, please be sure there are enough for every classmate.
  • 100th Day: Your kids have worked so hard for 100 days of school! We plan on celebrating on Tuesday February 13. If your child would like to dress up as a superhero or princess, they are welcome to! We are eagerly expecting a visit from Zero the Hero! 🙂
  • No hot lunch February 6.

Curriculum

Bible: We continue to practice the January Bible verse, I hope to assess this in the next couple of weeks.  This week we talked about The Lord’s Prayer. We serve a big God who is willing to listen to our prayers- big or small. Thank you, Jesus!

Matthew 19:14 But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them. For the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”

Mateo 19:14 Pero Jesus dijo, “Dejad a los niños venir a mí y no se los impidais. Porque de los tales es el reino de los cielos.”

I don’t have a separate video for this verse, but we are learning this song by Steve Green. The lyrics are from our Bible verse. Please click here to share the song with your child. (Please be aware of unpredictable ads that may play before the song.)

Literacy: In grammar we continued to talk about the order of adjectives. We quickly discovered that, contrary to English, in Spanish the adjective comes after the noun.

  • Reading strategy: Questioning
  • Read aloud: Rebeca
  • Vocabulary words
    • la maceta (flower pot)
    • contento/a (happy)
    • la paleta (sucker)
    • arrullar (to lull to sleep)
    • regar (to water)
    • la carreta (cart)
    • chupar (to suck)
    • la patineta (scooter, skateboard)
  • Word wall word: bien (good)
  • Phrase of the week: Estoy emocionado/a. (I’m excited.)
  • Letter of the week: Bb

Math: In math we began looking at addition problems as having two parts and a whole.  For example, two parts that make 6 are 4 and 2 (6=4+2.) We also began looking at teen numbers and working to identify the group of 10 and “extras.” Maestra Medrano and I enjoyed doing some co-teaching during math this week!

Writing Workshop: We continued to talk about pattern books.  This week each child wrote a page for our classroom book with the pattern Yo veo and theme zoo animals.

Exploring God’s World: We continued to talk about motion. The kids practiced blowing air through straws to move heavy and light balls.  They quickly discovered that it took a LOT more air to move a heavy ball than a light ball. Moving a heavier object takes a bigger force and a harder push!

Up in Lights: Allie was up in lights this week! She loves Tennis and even introduced us to her American girl doll, Grace.  We are so glad we get to Kindergarten with you Allie!


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