Notes for May 2018
Game Day Fridays
We will be starting to have every Friday afternoon as game day. The children
are welcome to bring in a game from home. Please let us know ahead of time that
way we can plan to make sure we do not have too many games on the same day.
Game day will allow the children to practice skills such as: turn taking,
sportsmanship and strategy. This is a tradition we have done in years past and
we are excited to be bringing it back again.
No School Memorial Day, May 28th, 2018!
No School Memorial Day, May 28th, 2018!
Promoting a Waste Free Lunch
For the last couple months we have seen from afar as room 7 works to recycle
and do their part to save the earth. This has inspired us to do what we can to
save the earth. As we learn more, we will share our knowledge with you.
Our first step was to start recycling in our classroom. We started recycling
everything we could from our lunches. The kids were amazed to see how
much trash we collected in just a week. The children started asking,
“What do we do with all of this?” Unfortunately, a lot of what we collected
was not recyclable so we have to throw it out. So to cut down on our waste
we are promoting a waste free lunch! We know a lot of you already do this and
we commend you on your efforts to protect the earth. Here are some helpful tips!
Notes for January 2018
Reggie Rainbow is Back!
For the next six weeks we will be tasting different fruits and vegetables on Wednesdays. Each week we will be visiting a different colored island. The children will read a book about him and then will taste, smell, and explore a fruit and vegetable of a different color each week. We will add newsletters to our blog, including recipes, each week. Please check for them. We will be recording the results of the tasting each week so you can see what they liked or did not like. Following the tasting on Wednesday we will be putting our cooking skills to work by cooking with the new ingredients of the week.
Weekly challenge (optional): Our challenge for you is if you are eating fruits and vegetables that are the color we have been talking about for that week. Take a picture and bring it in for your child to share with the class. This will be a a good way to get the children thinking about eating more fruits and vegetables.
This is the schedule:
Week of 1/15/18- Island of Red
Week of 1/22/18- Island of Orange
Week of 1/29/18- Island of Yellow
Week of 2/5/18- Island of Green
Week of 2/12/18- Island of Blue, White and Brown
Week of 2/19/18- Island of Purple
This is the schedule:
Week of 1/15/18- Island of Red
Week of 1/22/18- Island of Orange
Week of 1/29/18- Island of Yellow
Week of 2/5/18- Island of Green
Week of 2/12/18- Island of Blue, White and Brown
Week of 2/19/18- Island of Purple
We look forward to a fun six weeks of trying new things!
Welcome Ms. Schmidt!
Hello to all the families in Room 8! My name is Ms. Kori Schmidt and
I will be in your child’s classroom on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8-4
as an intern for the semester. I am a senior at the University of
Michigan-Dearborn and am majoring in Elementary Education with a
specialization in Early Childhood Education. This will be my third
practicum that I have done at the ECEC. I have also worked at the
ECEC in many different classrooms over the past two years.
I have worked with many other age groups before; however,
I have not worked with the kindergarten age before so I am really
excited to learn from and work with this group of students!
I will be in your child’s classroom on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8-4
as an intern for the semester. I am a senior at the University of
Michigan-Dearborn and am majoring in Elementary Education with a
specialization in Early Childhood Education. This will be my third
practicum that I have done at the ECEC. I have also worked at the
ECEC in many different classrooms over the past two years.
I have worked with many other age groups before; however,
I have not worked with the kindergarten age before so I am really
excited to learn from and work with this group of students!
When I am not working or going to school, I enjoy being really
active. I played volleyball before college for about 10 years
and I am currently on a wallyball league team. When I am not
playing wallyball, I love spending time with all my pets that I have
at home, which include: 3 dogs, 5 cats, and 1 turtle. I have a huge
love for animals, as you can see in my picture of a stray cat I picked
up off the street.
active. I played volleyball before college for about 10 years
and I am currently on a wallyball league team. When I am not
playing wallyball, I love spending time with all my pets that I have
at home, which include: 3 dogs, 5 cats, and 1 turtle. I have a huge
love for animals, as you can see in my picture of a stray cat I picked
up off the street.
I really look forward to working with your child this semester and
learning a lot from them. My goals for this semester are learning
more about work that goes into being a teacher and learning the
interests of the children so I can make enjoyable and informative
lesson plans. I believe that learning should be fun and I believe
that each child learns a different way so I am excited to see
how your children learn and work accordingly to support them
in the best way that I can.
learning a lot from them. My goals for this semester are learning
more about work that goes into being a teacher and learning the
interests of the children so I can make enjoyable and informative
lesson plans. I believe that learning should be fun and I believe
that each child learns a different way so I am excited to see
how your children learn and work accordingly to support them
in the best way that I can.
I look forward to working and meeting all of you.
Ms. Schmidt
Valentine's Day
If it is important to your child, Valentines may be brought to school on Wednesday, 2/14. If your child is not scheduled for Wednesday, cards may be sent in Tuesday prior or Thursday following. Your child will receive cards from their classmates on the next day they come to class. Please make this a meaningful writing practice by having your child write their own name on each card. Start early and make it fun. Consider practicing using lower case letters. If your child is up to it, they may write their classmates names on the cards or envelopes, but it is not necessary. There are 16 children in our class. A list of names has been emailed to each family. Please send only non-food Valentines. Thank you.
The 100th Day of Kindergarten
We will most likely celebrate this event on Thursday, 2/8, unless there is a snow day in which case it will move. Please stay tuned for what the children will plan.
The 100th Day of Kindergarten
We will most likely celebrate this event on Thursday, 2/8, unless there is a snow day in which case it will move. Please stay tuned for what the children will plan.
Notes for December 2017
Monday AM
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Tuesday AM
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Wednesday AM
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Thursday AM
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Friday AM
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Jane- Pajama Day
(wear your pjs and bring a stuffed animal to school)
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Natalia- Dress up in a costume
(wear a costume to school. Remember no masks!)
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Hat Day
(wear your favorite hat to school)
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Go Blue Day! (wear your U of M apparel to school)
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Favorite Color Day! (wear your favorite color to school)
|
Make Pancakes for snack
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Abby- pretend to be animals
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Ms. Zoia- Make Pizza’s
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Luke- Read/Retell the story of Piggie and Gerald
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Mila- Make purple slime
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Kamal- Play with puppets
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Make trail mix for snack
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Mikah- Build a boat out of large blocks
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Ms. Ashley- make smoothies for morning snack
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Mrs. Stone - make a winter/holiday card for your family
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Adam- Play chutes and Ladders
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Luke- Read/Retell the story of Piggie and Gerald
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Monday PM
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Tuesday PM
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Wednesday PM
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Thursday PM
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Friday PM
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Adam- Play chutes and Ladders
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Game Day (bring a board game to play this afternoon)
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Lukas- Show and Tell (bring your favorite toy for show and tell)
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Yameena- Play in the snow
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Karol- Big and Little Magnatiles
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John- Make food Collages from food magazines
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Elena- Play with toys
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Salma- animals and magnatiles
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Ethan- Build with Kinex
| |
Ms. Zoia- Read Pizza the size of the sun/Eat our pizza
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Luke- Read/Retell the story of Piggie and Gerald
|
Notes for November 2017
SAVE THE DATE: November 15, 2016
ECEC Program Curriculum Night will be Wednesday, 11/15/16. We look forward to sharing what we have been learning about during this open-house style event. Watch for details soon.
Family Conferences:
School will dismiss at 3:30 on November 29th and 30th. We look forward to sharing portfolios this week at family conferences!
Please send hats and mittens!
While it has been a mild autumn, it is time for mittens and hats. We are outdoors everyday unless the temperature with wind chill is below 10°F or there is severe weather, like lightning. The temperature when leaving the house may be different than at the time we go out. Children should come to school prepared to go outside everyday with boots, hats, gloves, etc. Labeling everything with your child’s name is helpful and keeps it out of the lost-and-found. Thank you.
Notes for October 2017
Harvest Walk 2017
The afternoon of Monday, 10/30/17 is our Harvest Walk. Children are invited to wear their costumes to school in the morning, also. Please keep in mind the following guidelines for safety and to be respectful of all people in our school:
- Masks should be left at home.
- Costumes should be friendly. (Example: Ms. Zoia is very nervous about clowns. Other people, younger children especially, may be also.)
- Costume accessories should be left at home so they don’t get lost. (As always, weapons should stay at home.)
- Costumes may be sent for children who stay all day and would prefer to wear regular clothes until the walk.
- Our classroom temperature is unpredictable, so please keep layers in mind when dressing for the day. While the walk is outside, the rest of the day is inside.
Parents/guardians and siblings (with an adult), that is immediate family, are welcome to join us. You will be asked to sign your child out and sign her/him back in if you leave him/her in our care until 5 p.m. for their regularly scheduled time. We will leave our classroom at 3:30 p.m. If you cannot attend and your child is scheduled for the afternoon, your child will walk with a teacher.
Children who are not scheduled for class on that afternoon may attend the walk as long as a parent/guardian attends with them. You are welcome to come back to the classroom before 3:30 so your child can walk with us.
Please email any questions. Thank you.
Please check the lost-and-found to see which items belong to your family. Thanks.
The lost-and-found is overflowing!
Autumn Means Fall...
With autumn comes many things falling from trees like colorful leaves. While walking outdoors with your child, please feel free to collect and bring in interesting things. We are fortunate to not have any tree nut allergies in our room this year so tree nuts are safe to bring in to explore. We are going to try to put together a color wheel composed of natural materials. Please help, blue is really a tough natural color. Do you have anything blue blooming yet that could be pressed? What about juniper berries? Thanks for your participation.
Lifetouch Studios will be onsite at the ECEC on Tuesday and Wednesday next week. All children will have the opportunity to take a photo, but no family is required or expected to purchase pictures or packages.
Schedule:
Room 2 • Wednesday, 10/25 @ 8:25 am
Room 3 • Tuesday, 10/24 @ 8:25 am
Room 4 • Tuesday, 10/24 @ 9:10 am
Room 5 • Wednesday, 10/25 @ 9:55 am
Room 6 • Wednesday, 10/25 @ 9:25 am
Room 7 • Tuesday, 10/24 @ 9:40 am
Room 8 • Wednesday, 10/25 @ 8:55 am
The class group photo will be taken at the times listed above, followed by the individual pictures. If your child does not attend at the scheduled time, you are welcome to bring them in for the group photo, and then their individual shot; or you can opt to miss the group photo and your child's individual shot can be taken on their regularly scheduled day. Please communicate with your child's teacher with what will work best for your family. Unfortunately, we do not have afternoon time slots for pictures. We apologize for the inconvenience. Pictures are slotted to take 30 to 45 minutes per class, students who come in for pictures outside of their regular schedule will be prioritized for efficiency and respect of your time.
Payment Process:
Picture proofs will be printed at the time the picture is taken. This proof along with package options will be sent home and you will have the ability to log in online to choose your package options and process your payment for pictures. Alternatively, completed Lifetouch packages can be returned to the front desk with check payment - cash will not be accepted. Please make checks payable to Lifetouch. You will have one week to order pictures. Again, no family is required or expected to purchase pictures or packages.
Notes for September 2017
Picture Day Oct 24th and 25th!
We will be having picture day again this year on October 24th and 25th. More information soon!
Welcome Mrs. Rowe!
Hello, my name is Ms. Amy (Rowe). I will be doing my internship in Mrs. Stone, Ms. Zoia, and Ms. Ashley’s room (8) on Fridays from 8am- 4pm. I am an Early Childhood major at the University of Michigan-Dearborn. I work for Great Start Readiness Program at Detroit Public Schools and have for 14 years.
I’m also a mother of two teenagers who myself have utilized an Early Childhood program when they were younger. This helped me understand the importance and impact of Early Childhood programs. This is my final semester before I continue my Profession in Early Childhood. I am looking forward to going on a great learning journey with your children as we explore and learn together. I believe that all children deserve a safe, clean, and appropriate learning environment which I have learned through prior practicums here at the ECEC is definitely being provided for the children, while providing a great learning environment for U of M student like me. Again see you on Friday’s and I’m looking forward to working with your children.
~ Mrs. Rowe
Hello PreK/Kindergartners and Families,
We are so excited to have you in our class and look forward to learning wonder-full things along with you this year.
♥ Ms. Zoia, Ms. Stone and Ms. Ashley
Your participation is needed:
You have all received an invitation through the welcome e-mail to participate in Ages and Stages Online. Here is the link in case you need it: Ages and Stages ECEC
This is an important tool for you and the teaching team to understand your child’s development and plan learning goals. Please consider completing them by October 1st. Thank you!
Kindergarten begins at 8:30 a.m.
Arriving at 8:00, or shortly after, gives your child a chance for self-initiated play and to get acclimated before beginning the day. Kindergarteners who arrive after 8:30 a.m. will be/ marked tardy on their report card beginning 9/18/17. This does not apply to PreK children. Thank you for helping your child with the morning routine as outlined on the chart at the writing center.
Join us at the Cider Mill
Spend the afternoon with your teacher and classmates at the
Plymouth Orchards & Cider Mill
10685 Warren Rd, Plymouth, MI 48170
Saturday, October 7th, 2017 from 12-4pm
Farm animals
Cider and donuts available for purchase
Wagon rides available for purchase along with pumpkin picking
No Admission Fee | No Parking Fee
($3.50/person wagon rides, children 3 and under ride for free)
http://www.plymouthorchards.com/
Scholastic Reading Club
Scholastic books are always available to order online. Please see the link on the side of our
blog. Once we have $20 total in orders we will submit them each month around the end of the month. They offer many low cost options for your family and help us to earn books for our classroom library.
blog. Once we have $20 total in orders we will submit them each month around the end of the month. They offer many low cost options for your family and help us to earn books for our classroom library.
Lost-and-Found:
The basket is near the cubbie area beside the backpack rack. Please check it often.
Ms. Zoia's and Mrs. Stone's Schedule
Much planning and arrangement goes into lessons prior to and after working with the children. From 4 p.m. until 4:45 p.m. one teacher will reflect, plan, and prepare in the classroom while the other two engage with the children.
Sometimes we will be sitting at the computers. While we are facing the computers, we are audibly monitoring. While we may be busy getting ready to work with your children, we are here if you need us, too. Please take advantage of emailing anytime also. This will help us to be ready to speak with you and conserve time.
On Tuesdays, Ms. Jennifer will join Ms. Ashley to work with the children so we can leave the room at 3:30 p.m. to plan for the next exciting week.
Notes as of June 2017
It is hard to believe the end of the year is here. It is incredible how much this group of vibrant, energetic children have grown! Thank you for sharing your child with us this year. It has truly been a joy to learn along with them and watch them blossom!
To the children headed to first grade and to other kindergarten classrooms in the fall, we wish you the best. Please come back to visit anytime. We would love to have you be a special guest reader! To those who are coming back for kindergarten at the ECEC, there's only 75 days until you'll be back in Room 8 leading the way. Have a great summer all!
Love+Peace,
Mrs. McAuliffe and Ms. Zoia
With next week being the last week of school, the children have each planned something for both the morning and afternoon sessions. Some of the plans require things from home. Thank you for helping your child gather the things they will need. Here's what's up:
Monday
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Tuesday
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Wednesday
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Thursday
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Friday
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AM:
Decorate classroom with balloons and streamers (Miles) Make memory books Play with soccer balls (Karol) |
AM:
Water Day- sprinkler and water balls (Jacob)Make memory books | AM: Play with foam blocks (Elise) Make Slime (Natalia) Finish memory book Calendar Day 1 | AM: Go Blue Day! (Aubrie) Games day- play board games (Dale) Eat pickles (Anne) Finish memory books | AM: Bring your toy to play with (Casey) Assemble calendar book |
Children should wear their bathing suits to school under their clothing. Bring a towel and water shoes (so we don’t step on a bee). Children scheduled for the whole day should bring dry clothing to change into. Please label everything.
|
Children should wear their blue and gold Michigan attire.
Children may bring a board game if they wish.
|
Children should bring ONE toy to play with along with their classmates. Please label wherever possible.
| ||
| PM: Bake Muffins (Sophia) Make shapes with glitter (David) | PM: Tea Party- eat muffins (Anna) Word Hunt Play outside (Adam I.) | PM: Play with trains (PK) Origami (Annie) Make Pizza the size of the Sun (Connor) | PM: Outdoor games- baseball, soccer, basketball (Hussein) Calendar Day 2 | PM: Water Day- sprinkler and water balls (Jane) Snow cones (Ms. Melanie) Paint rainbows with sidewalk paint (Ella) |
Children should wear regular clothes and bring their bathing suits to school. Bring a towel and water shoes (so we don’t step on a bee). Please label everything.
|
Last Portfolio of Work:
In celebration of the last weeks of school, portfolios will be sent home on your child's last day scheduled.
Class Dojo:
There's still time to sign up for this app to share daily events in the classroom. Emails were sent on Thursday to anyone who has not yet joined in seeing photos of Room 8 in action. See notes from last month for more details.
Class Dojo:
For the remainder of the school year we will be starting to use a program called Class Dojo to help us connect more with parents. This will give you a chance to see what your child is doing on a daily basis. Here is the link to find out more about it: Class Dojo. We will have a sign up sheet for you to put your name and the phone number you would like connected to the account. This program is an app you get on your phone that allows you to see our classroom page!
Family Picnic:
May 19th, 3 pm to 5 pm, is the family picnic. Sign up to bring a dish on the sheet in the classroom. Bring your blankets, lawn chairs, and enjoy the afternoon with the other families of our classroom and ECEC community. Classrooms close at 3 pm. Please sign your child out by 3 pm. We look forward to seeing everyone!
Family Conferences:
We look forward to sharing portfolios this week at family conferences! Classrooms closed Monday, 5/1 through 5/5.
Notes as of April 2017
Picture day for Room 8 is Thursday 4/13
We will take a group photo in the lobby. If your child is not scheduled and you would her/him to be included, please arrive in the lobby at 10:30 a.m. Picture order forms must be returned by Wed. April 12th sealed with cash (exact change only or money order payable to S. Lee Portraits and Events only).
Please note: If you are interested in the class photo, just write in "Class Photo" on the form in the blank space. The fee is $18. There is no option for the
class photo on the order forms.
Also, if you are available to help with the process on Thursday, we could use a few volunteers from 10:30 until about 11:15 at the latest. Please just let Cyndi or Suzette know of your willingness. Thanks.
Also, if you are available to help with the process on Thursday, we could use a few volunteers from 10:30 until about 11:15 at the latest. Please just let Cyndi or Suzette know of your willingness. Thanks.
Curriculum Night Spring 17
Wednesday April 12th, 4:30 until 6 pm
We
look forward to sharing what we have been learning about during this
open-house style event. Robots, and bridges, and worms, and tunnels, and
bells, and finials....oh, my!
Please read to find out more from the interns on the blog homepage
Home: Our Thinking page.
Family Conferences:
We
look forward to celebrating each child's progress at conferences to be
held the week of May 1st. Please look for the sign-up sheet in
the classroom soon. If you don't see a time that fits your family's
schedule, please email Ms. Zoia or Mrs. McAuliffe and we will find one
for you.
Remember to fill out your Ages and Stages, please.
If you have not yet completed the 60 month Ages and Stages questionnaire, please do so by 4/21/17 so we can include the results in your child's portfolio for the May conferences. Thank you.
In order to complete the necessary screening, go to:
If you are interested, you may also complete the ASQ Social Emotional Questionnaire at: https://www.asqonline.com/
Mud boots and Water...please help:
Hooray
for spring! With April showers comes....MUD! Ooey, gooey, delightful
mud. Thank you for leaving snow boots or sending rain/mud boots. It is
probably safe to take snow pants home now. Please do send extra
clothing (socks and pants especially) in case the mud gets too close.
With
the warm weather the children need to be drinking lots of water to stay
hydrated. Please send a water bottle, clearly labeled with your child's
name, each day. We will refill the water bottles throughout the day at the bottle filler on the fountain.
At the end of the day, please take them home to be washed and refilled
for the next day. Your participation will not only help your child
establish a healthy routine of drinking water through this practice, it
will help conserve our resources and keep cups from blowing around our
playground. Thanks for your cooperation.
Lost and Found:
The lost-and-found is full! Please check for your child's belongings. Thanks.Thank you!
We are so grateful for all the guest readers! You truly bring great joy to our class. We welcome you to share a book or other talent with us anytime. Please email Ms. Zoia or Mrs. McAuliffe to arrange.
Notes as of March 2017
Parking lot safety (3/29)
Today on the playground we practiced parking lot safety with this poem:
Stop, look, and listen when you cross the street
(or walk in the parking lot)
Use your eyes and ears before you use your feet.
Then we discussed looking left,
looking right,
then walking out slowly while holding the hand of an adult.
Join the ECEC for a fun-filled spirit week March 6-10 to celebrate the Book Fair!
Monday - Wacky Hair
Get wacky and show your creative side - pig tails, faux-hawks, colorful hair ties or braids - totally cool hair styles are the theme of the day!
Get wacky and show your creative side - pig tails, faux-hawks, colorful hair ties or braids - totally cool hair styles are the theme of the day!
Tuesday - My Favorite Book Character Monday
Dress as your favorite book character. Bonus: bring in that book to read to the class!
Wednesday - Super Hero Day
Dress as your favorite super hero!
Thursday - Pajama Day
Get comfy in your pajama's for the day!
Friday - Maze and Blue Day
Show your support and dress in Maze and Blue. Go Blue!
Show your support and dress in Maze and Blue. Go Blue!
Notes as of January 2017
It's a new year, a new semester and we welcome new students to our class. Please introduce yourself if you have not met them. Here are some notes from our two lead-teacher interns:
Hello Everyone! My name is Mrs. Ahmad and I will be an intern in your child’s classroom on Tuesdays and Thursdays all day. I am excited and honored to be working with your children this semester. I am currently working towards my bachelors with an Elementary Teaching Certificate with an Early Childhood Endorsement. My major is in Early Childhood and my minor is in ESL (English as a Second Language). I plan to finish my courses by the end of this year. Yay!
I come from a big family that values education. I have two older sisters who are teachers and I spent a lot of my time volunteering in their classrooms. In addition, I worked as a tutor with a non profit organization called ACCESS (Arab Community Center Economic and Social Services) to help at risk children. Currently, I work as a substitute teacher at Salina Elementary (Dearborn Public Schools) when I am needed.
My goals for this semester are to create lessons that interest the children. I want to be able to teach lessons that are meaningful and memorable. I would also like to be able to implement lessons that help strengthen your children's skills.
I am a huge animal lover. Growing up I had cats, birds, bunnies, guinea pigs, fish, frogs, geckos, lizards, hedgehog, snakes, hamsters and gerbils. A I live with 2 frogs (Fred and Ed), a leopard gecko, a school of guppies, two hamsters (Bear and Snowflake), my parakeet (Tweety), a bunny (Ginger) and my parrot (Lucky). I also love nature and going out for long walks. When I am not working I spend the majority of my time with my beautiful daughter named Zahra; Zahra is just 21 months old and full of life. I am looking forward to a great semester!
Thank you,Fatimah Ahmad
_____________________________________________________
Hello! My name is Shelbi Hanton and I will be interning in Mrs. McAuliffe and Ms. Zoia’s classroom this semester. I will be working with your children on Mondays (8am-4pm) and Wednesdays (8am-3:30pm). I look forward to working in this classroom because I hope to teach in a preschool or kindergarten classroom after I graduate. I am working on my bachelor’s degree at the University of Michigan – Dearborn and will be graduating with an Elementary Certificate and Early Childhood Education Endorsement in the winter of 2018 once I finish my student teaching.
My prior experiences with children are varied. This is my third semester working in one of the classrooms at the Early Childhood Education Center (ECEC). I was a youth leader for children ages 3 to 5 years old at my church for three years. I was also a Sunday school teacher at my church with the same group of children.
I was a nanny for two different families for eight years. This past fall I became an assistant teacher at Tutor Time in Canton, and I just became the lead teacher for the preschool classroom at my work at the beginning of this month. I love working with young children and seeing them grow and learn.
My goals for this semester:
- Create lesson plans that involve the students’ interests.
- I hope to make learning fun for the students through my lessons and activities.
When I am not at school or work, I enjoy doing crafts and reading books. I love spending time with my family and friends. I also love history and enjoy visiting historical places. I am planning to visit Hitsville U.S.A. with my dad, who is a huge Motown fan, next month. I enjoy going up north in the summer and getting away from the city for a couple days. I am planning to learn about your child and your family throughout the semester.
Sincerely, Shelbi Hanton
Thank you for sending winter gear!
We are active, messy, and outdoors everyday unless the temperature with wind chill is below 10°F or there is severe weather, like lightning. The temperature when leaving the house may be different than at the time we go out. Children should come to school prepared to go outside everyday with boots, hats, gloves, etc. Labeling everything with your child’s name is helpful and keeps it out of the lost-and-found. Thank you. We appreciate all the time and energy you spend sending all this gear each day. We have a chart to help children know how to dress for outdoors, but our first guide is you— the family. The teachers will ask the children to put on whatever they were sent with to school. We assume that you will send them prepared for whatever the day will bring. This means snow-pants, too, even when there is no snow to keep the children warm and to protect from the mud. If your child doesn’t have the proper clothing for the weather, we have a few spares to share in an emergency, but operate on the premise that you have sent them prepared to go outside. We have little footwear to share, so boots and pair of shoes for inside will help save our floors from mud and snow. Please make your child aware of what is packed for them, and let us know and we will assist him/her in changing into shoes/boots. And thank you for washing everything! While our playground is notoriously muddy, it is also much fun.
We are active, messy, and outdoors everyday unless the temperature with wind chill is below 10°F or there is severe weather, like lightning. The temperature when leaving the house may be different than at the time we go out. Children should come to school prepared to go outside everyday with boots, hats, gloves, etc. Labeling everything with your child’s name is helpful and keeps it out of the lost-and-found. Thank you. We appreciate all the time and energy you spend sending all this gear each day. We have a chart to help children know how to dress for outdoors, but our first guide is you— the family. The teachers will ask the children to put on whatever they were sent with to school. We assume that you will send them prepared for whatever the day will bring. This means snow-pants, too, even when there is no snow to keep the children warm and to protect from the mud. If your child doesn’t have the proper clothing for the weather, we have a few spares to share in an emergency, but operate on the premise that you have sent them prepared to go outside. We have little footwear to share, so boots and pair of shoes for inside will help save our floors from mud and snow. Please make your child aware of what is packed for them, and let us know and we will assist him/her in changing into shoes/boots. And thank you for washing everything! While our playground is notoriously muddy, it is also much fun.
Regie Rainbow
Each Wednesday morning the children will be exploring fruits and vegetables with Regie Rainbow. The children will read a book about him and then will taste, smell, and explore a fruit and vegetable of a different color each week. We will add newsletters to our blog, including recipes, each week. Please check for them.
The lost-and-found is overflowing!
SAVE THE DATE: February 21, 2017
Kindergarten 2017/2018 information night is Tuesday, 2/21, at 6:00 p.m.
Please join us if you are interested in our kindergarten program next year and want to learn more.
Valentine's Day
If it is important to your child, Valentines may be brought to school onTuesday, 2/14. If your child is not scheduled for Tuesday, cards may be sent in Monay prior or Wednesdy following. Your child will receive cards from their classmates on the next day they come to class. Please make this a meaningful writing practice by having your child write their own name on each card. Start early and make it fun. Consider practicing using lower case letters. If your child is up to it, they may write their classmates names on the cards or envelopes, but it is not necessary. There are 23 children in our class. A list of names has been emailed to each family. Please send only non-food Valentines. Thank you.
The 100th Day of Kindergarten
We will most likely celebrate this event on Friday, 2/17, unless there is a snow day in which case it will move. Please stay tuned for what the children will plan.
As always, thank you for sharing your children with us!
The 100th Day of Kindergarten
We will most likely celebrate this event on Friday, 2/17, unless there is a snow day in which case it will move. Please stay tuned for what the children will plan.
As always, thank you for sharing your children with us!
Notes as of December 2016
End of Semester
With
the end of the semester comes goodbyes and special events. Monday,
12/12, will be the last day with Ms. Atanosian and Ms. Grigg. It is the
last week of the term and so we will celebrate with the plans the
children have suggested. Please review to see what things the children
need to bring or wear. Thanks.
We wish you a warm and wonderful break and a very happy New Year!!
+Peace, Mrs. McAuliffe and Ms. Zoia
The Last Week of 2016 in Room 8
Monday
|
Tuesday
|
Wednesday
|
Thursday
|
Friday
| |
AM
|
Pajama day
(Ms. Atanosian)
Photo booth
(Ms. Grigg)
Hang up balloons
(Natalia, Sophia, Aubrie, Annie)
|
M Go, Blue!
Wear blue and gold
Ride bikes
(Karol, Jane)
Make a spider web
(Miles)
|
MagnaTiles
(Adam M.)
Make flowers
(Reina)
Drum circle
(Mrs. McAuliffe)
|
Bake/Make a pie
(Natalia, Anne)
Feast/Party
(Elise, Adam I., Sophia, Aubrie, Jacob)
Dress up like a princess (or other regal character)
(Anna)
|
Bring a toy
(Hussein- Skylanders; Casey- Transformers; Dale- action figures; David- Pokemon cards;)
|
PM
|
Play basketball
(Jacob)
|
Party with cats
(Iulia)
Trains
(Connor)
|
Have snack outside
(Ella)
Bake cookies
(PK, Ms. Zoia)
|
Parade
(Annelise)
|
Games day
|
Children should wear their pajamas to school with shoes.
|
*Children should bring their own helmet if they want to ride a bike with a thin hat for underneath if possible.
**Children may bring in toy cats (Reina).
|
See November notes about bringing a “drum”…this is a repurposed item that will make a sound when tapped/shook.
|
Children should bring regular clothes for the playground or in case they tire of the costume. Masks, weapons, and accessories should stay at home.
|
Children should bring a toy they are willing to share. Please label wherever possible.
|
Please send hats and mittens!
While it has been a mild autumn, it is time for mittens and hats. We are outdoors everyday unless the temperature with wind chill is below 10°F or there is severe weather, like lightning. The temperature when leaving the house may be different than at the time we go out. Children should come to school prepared to go outside everyday with boots, hats, gloves, etc. Labeling everything with your child’s name is helpful and keeps it out of the lost-and-found. Thank you.
Calling all drums
We have a drum circle scheduled for Wednesday, December 14th! Please see last month's not about drumming to participate with your child in their homework to bring in a "drum" prior to this date. Thank you.
Notes as of November 2016
SAVE THE DATE: November 30, 2016
ECEC Program Curriculum Night will be Wednesday, 11/30/16. We look forward to sharing what we have been learning about during this open-house style event. Watch for details soon.
Trouble in Toyland: A toy safety presentation
On Tuesday, November 22nd, at 10 a.m. our class will participate with children from Beaumont's Center for Exceptional Families in a toy safety presentation here at the ECEC. Three experts from Beaumont – including an emergency physician will highlight the annual report published by the Public Research Group of Michigan. They’ll present a sampling of unsafe toys, with the children as part of the audience. The experts work with the children to ensure they understand why the toy would be a concern. They offer advice and other information. Here’s the news release and video from last year.
Families are invited to join us. A permission slip will be sent home this week. Please return it to Suzette or Cyndi prior to Monday, 11/21. If your child is not scheduled to be in school at this time, you may attend with your child after you fill out the permission slip. We are excited to participate in this program for the first time.
New Lunch Labels
As a way for the children to practice writing the date, we will now have blank label set out every morning with a white board telling them the date. Please encourage your child to practice writing the date just like they do in their journals every day.
New Lunch Labels
As a way for the children to practice writing the date, we will now have blank label set out every morning with a white board telling them the date. Please encourage your child to practice writing the date just like they do in their journals every day.
Your participation is needed:
You have all received an invitation through e-mail to participate in Ages and Stages Online. Here is the link in case you need it:
Please complete ASAP. This is an important tool for you and the teaching team to understand your child’s development and plan learning goals.
If you need a paper copy please see Ms. Zoia or Mrs. McAuliffe.
Thank you.
Drums We are pursuing ideas about rhythm in words and on drums. We are projecting working in a drum circle which would require everyone to have a "drum" to add their beat to the community of the drum circle. Would you please experiment with your child to listen to the sound of various "drums"? We say "drum" because this is a recycled item. A drum could be an over-turned box, a coffee container, a water bottle filled with pebbles...anything that will keep a beat and make a sound would be lovely. Once your child settles on their favorite re-purposed "drum" please send it into the classroom. Thanks.
Drums We are pursuing ideas about rhythm in words and on drums. We are projecting working in a drum circle which would require everyone to have a "drum" to add their beat to the community of the drum circle. Would you please experiment with your child to listen to the sound of various "drums"? We say "drum" because this is a recycled item. A drum could be an over-turned box, a coffee container, a water bottle filled with pebbles...anything that will keep a beat and make a sound would be lovely. Once your child settles on their favorite re-purposed "drum" please send it into the classroom. Thanks.
Notes as of October 2016
My Body is Mine
Halloween Walk 2016
Our class will attend the My Body Is Mine
The afternoon of Friday, 10/28/16 is our Halloween Walk. Children are invited to wear their costumes to school in the morning, also. Please keep in mind the following guidelines for safety and to be respectful of all people in our school:
- Masks should be left at home.
- Costumes should be friendly. (Example: Mrs. McAuliffe is afraid of witches and very nervous about clowns. Other people, younger children especially, may be also.)
- Costume accessories should be left at home so they don’t get lost. (As always, weapons should stay at home.)
- Costumes may be sent for children who stay all day and would prefer to wear regular clothes until the walk.
- Our classroom temperature is unpredictable, so please keep layers in mind when dressing for the day. While the walk is outside, the rest of the day is inside.
Parents/guardians and siblings (with an adult), that is immediate family, are welcome to join us. You will be asked to sign your child out and sign her/him back in if you leave him/her in our care until 5 p.m. for their regularly scheduled time. We will leave our classroom at 3 p.m. If you cannot attend and your child is scheduled for the afternoon, your child will walk with a teacher.
Children who are not scheduled for class on that afternoon may attend the walk as long as a parent/guardian attends with them. Please meet in the lobby. We will be the first to walk through and will meet you up there.
We should be back to our classroom around 3:30 so Kindergarteners who leave at that time could be picked up as usual.
Please email any questions. Thank you.
Photos, please!
Would you please send photos into our class? Here's what we are looking for:
- Family pets-please send a photo of your family pet so we can hang it in our vet clinic. Our dramatic play is very busy and these photos will adorn it by simply being taped on the wall. Nothing fancy, just printed on regular paper will do. If you can't print one, please email to us and we will print it at school.
- Family photos-please send a photo of your family for our classroom if you haven't already. It can be framed for placement on a shelf or unframed for hanging on our family tree.
- Photos taken by your child-If you child takes a photo they want to share with the class or you think is really interesting, please email to Mrs. McAuliffe of Ms. Zoia. (We feel a project coming on!)
With autumn comes many things falling from trees like colorful leaves. While walking outdoors with your child, please feel free to collect and bring in interesting things. We are fortunate to not have any tree nut allergies in our room this year so tree nuts are safe to bring in to explore. We are going to try to put together a color wheel composed of natural materials. Please help, blue is really a tough natural color. Do you have anything blue blooming yet that could be pressed? What about juniper berries? Thanks for your participation.
Notes as of September 2016
PreK/Kindergarten Room 8 is great!
We are off to a great start this year. There is much to learn about each other. So far we are focusing developing classroom agreements about being safe and kind. We are striving to develop friendships. In that light, we want to take a moment to introduce our interns:
Hello! My name is Ashley Atanosian and I am interning in Mrs. McAuliffe and Ms. Zoia’s classroom this semester. I will be in the classroom on Mondays (8a-4p) and Wednesdays (8a-3:30p). I am very excited to be working in this classroom because this is the age level that I plan on working with once I graduate. I am currently pursuing a degree in Children and Families, and will be graduating in December!
A little information about the experience I have working with students includes: two years of hands-on child care with children ranging from 3-4 years old, three practicums at the Early Childhood Education Center (ECEC)-these are various age groups, a nanny for the same family for four years, and currently I work at a high school. I am a teacher’s assistant in a print shop classroom.
Goals for myself this semester:
-Implement lesson plans that follow the children’s interests and skill level.
-Engage the students in new explorations while making learning fun for the students.
I am a huge Despicable Me fan! I have a one-year-old black cat named Storm. I’m a junior varsity softball coach. When I’m not coaching or playing with my cat I enjoy traveling around Michigan to places I’ve never been. My next trip is hopefully going to Pictured Rocks in the Upper Peninsula. I’m looking forward to an amazing semester with you and your child!
Thank you,
Ashley Atanosian
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hello Families,
My name is Chelsea Grigg and I will be an intern in your child’s classroom on Mondays and Wednesdays this semester. I am currently working towards my bachelor’s degree and will graduate from the University of Michigan-Dearborn next winter with elementary certification and Early Childhood General and Special Education and Integrated Science endorsements. I have had a lot of experience working with children during my time in school and this will be my third semester having the opportunity to work in a classroom at the Early Childhood Education Center. I grew up knowing that I wanted to work with kids, and have been volunteering in the preschool at my church for over ten years. I now am employed as the Kid’s Ministry Administrator at my church, where I work with children anywhere from six weeks old to the fifth grade.
As I work in your child’s classroom it is my hope to not only see your child grow, but to see myself grow as an educator and learner as well. Some of my goals for this semester are to:
Identify what the children in the classroom are interested in and excited about and create meaningful lessons based on their knowledge and ideas.
Create lessons and tailor them to each student's needs.
Learn to use natural materials to lead exploration.
Not only build a relationship with the children in our classroom but with their families as well.
When I am not at the Early Childhood Education Center or in class, I like to spend my time with my family and our golden retriever. This summer we were all able to travel to Sturgeon Bay, Michigan and we had a great time together. I am not only an animal lover, but I also enjoy photography as a hobby. I can’t wait to hear more about you and what your family enjoys doing together!
Sincerely,
Chelsea Grigg
Thank you for taking the time to get to know the interns and the other university students in our room as well.
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Scholastic books are always available to order online. Please see the link on the side of our
blog. Once we have $20 total in orders we will submit them each month around the end of the month. They offer many low cost options for your family and help us to earn books for our classroom library.
Lost-and-Found:
The basket is near the cubbie area beside the backpack rack. Please check it often.
Photos are coming...
Please stay tuned for your invite. We are looking at options for photo sharing that is secure. Looking forward to building our classroom community.
Chelsea Grigg
Thank you for taking the time to get to know the interns and the other university students in our room as well.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Scholastic Reading Club
blog. Once we have $20 total in orders we will submit them each month around the end of the month. They offer many low cost options for your family and help us to earn books for our classroom library.
Lost-and-Found:
The basket is near the cubbie area beside the backpack rack. Please check it often.
Photos are coming...
Please stay tuned for your invite. We are looking at options for photo sharing that is secure. Looking forward to building our classroom community.
Your participation is needed:
You have all received an invitation through the welcome e-mail to participate in Ages and Stages Online. Here is the link in case you need it: Ages and Stages ECEC
This is an important tool for you and the teaching team to understand your child’s development and plan learning goals. Please consider completing them by October 1st. Thank you!
Kindergarten begins at 8:30 a.m.
Arriving at 8:00, or shortly after, gives your child a chance for self-initiated play and to get acclimated before beginning the day. Kindergarteners who arrive after 8:30 a.m. will be marked tardy on their report card beginning next week (9-26-16). This does not apply to PreK children. Thank you for helping your child with the morning routine as outlined on the chart at the orange rectangle table. Children will be welcomed quietly to calendar meeting should arrival be after 8:30.
No food allergies! and lunch
We are grateful that we have no food allergies this year. Thank you to all for your concern about what to send for lunch. In regard to warm lunches, please note you can send food to be kept warm in an ovenproof container and drop it off in the big kitchen. Label it with your child's name and ROOM 8. It will be kept in the oven until lunch time. Another option is to put a hotpack in your child's lunch box. Please put the word hot on the date label and we will keep it on the counter. If the lunch is hot and cold...please just label accordingly and we will split it. Because food safety regulations recommend warm food be kept warm and cold food be kept cold, warm food cannot be left out on the counter without a thermos container or a thermal lunch bag or hotpack to maintain its temperature. Thank you for working with us to get through this change. If you have other ideas, please do share.
Ms. Zoia's and Mrs. McAuliffe's Schedule
To balance out the preparation and cleaning of the classroom, Ms. Zoia is scheduled 7:45 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Mrs. McAuliffe is scheduled 8:15 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. Much planning and arrangement goes into lessons prior to and after working with the children. From 4 p.m. until 4:45 p.m. the teachers will reflect, plan, and prepare in the classroom. During this time additional staff teachers will be working with the children as follows:
Mondays: Ms. Jennifer Tuesdays: Ms. Lauren Wednesdays: Ms. Molly
Thursdays: Ms. Melissa Fridays: Ms. Kimberly
Sometimes we will be sitting at the computers. While we are facing the computers, we are audibly monitoring. We are there for the children and the staff teacher. While we may be busy getting ready to work with your children, we are here if you need us, too. Please take advantage of emailing anytime also. This will help us to be ready to speak with you and conserve time.
Sometimes one of may be out of the room, but one of us will always remain with the children except on Thursdays. On Thursdays, Ms. Finkelstein will join Ms. Melissa to work with the children so we can leave the room at 4 p.m. to plan for the next exciting week.
Ms. Zoia's and Mrs. McAuliffe's Schedule
To balance out the preparation and cleaning of the classroom, Ms. Zoia is scheduled 7:45 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Mrs. McAuliffe is scheduled 8:15 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. Much planning and arrangement goes into lessons prior to and after working with the children. From 4 p.m. until 4:45 p.m. the teachers will reflect, plan, and prepare in the classroom. During this time additional staff teachers will be working with the children as follows:
Mondays: Ms. Jennifer Tuesdays: Ms. Lauren Wednesdays: Ms. Molly
Thursdays: Ms. Melissa Fridays: Ms. Kimberly
Sometimes we will be sitting at the computers. While we are facing the computers, we are audibly monitoring. We are there for the children and the staff teacher. While we may be busy getting ready to work with your children, we are here if you need us, too. Please take advantage of emailing anytime also. This will help us to be ready to speak with you and conserve time.
 |
| Photo taken by one of the children! |
Notes as of August 2016
Welcome to our class!
Hello PreK/Kindergarteners and Families,
We spent a beautiful day in Detroit visiting The Michigan Science Center, The Detroit Institute of Arts, and The Detroit Historical Society. We learned lots of amazing things. We are so excited to have you in our class and look forward to learning wonder-full things along with you this year. Until then, enjoy the rest of the summer break.
♥ Ms. Zoia and Mrs. McAuliffe
Notes as of June 2016
Wow! It is hard to believe that our year is winding down. It is amazing how much the children have grown! Thank you for sharing your child with us this year. It has truly been a pleasure to watch them blossom.
To the Kindergarteners headed to first grade and those Pre-K heading to other kindergarten classrooms in the fall, we wish you the best. Please come back to visit anytime; we would love to have you be a special guest reader!! To those who are coming back for kindergarten at the ECEC, we can't wait until September!!! Have a great summer all.
Love+Peace,
Mrs. McAuliffe and Ms. Zoia
Last Days of PreK:
The children have each planned something for both the morning and afternoon sessions on Monday and Tuesday. Following is what the children planned for the last days that require things from home. Thank you for helping them choose and gather the items needed.
Last Days of PreK:
The children have each planned something for both the morning and afternoon sessions on Monday and Tuesday. Following is what the children planned for the last days that require things from home. Thank you for helping them choose and gather the items needed.
Monday 6/20 P day
|
||
a.m.
*p.m. only children may also wear PJs to school as the full day children will still be wearing theirs. |
Pajama day
|
Children should wear pajamas to school with regular school
shoes so they can play on the playground
safely.
|
Tuesday 6/21
|
||
a.m.
|
Sprinklers
and Water balls (weather permitting)
|
Children should
wear their bathing suits to school
under their clothing. Bring towel, water shoes (so we don’t step on a bee). Children scheduled for the whole day should
bring dry clothing to change into.
|
a.m.
|
Play with
toys
|
Children
should bring ONE toy to play with
along with their classmates.
|
Last Days of Kindergarten:
Tuesday and Wednesday are the last two days for the Kindergarteners in our class. PreK children continue their normal schedules until Tuesday, 6/21. Each of the kindergarten children has planned special activities for Tuesday and Wednesday to celebrate the last days. Later this week we will survey the PreK children about how they would like to celebrate their last days on Monday and Tuesday, 6/20 and 6/21...stay tuned. Of course, all children who are scheduled to attend Tuesday and Wednesday will join in! Some of the plans require things from home, so here is what's up:
Tuesday, 6/14
|
||
p.m.
|
Sprinklers and Water balls (if the weather is warm enough)
|
Bring towel, water shoes (so we don’t step on a
bee), bathing suit, extra shirt or cover-up.
|
Wednesday, 6/15
|
||
a.m.
|
Partner reading
|
Bring your favorite book
to read to your partner. (Please label the book with child’s name.)
|
p.m.
|
Soccer game…children versus teachers @ 3:00. Families are welcome to come at this time
and join in the game or cheering.
|
Wear a team shirt and/or hat.
|
Notes as of April 2016
Family Conferences:
We look forward to celebrating each child's progress at conferences to be held on April 26th, 27th, 28th. Please look for the sign-up sheet in the classroom. If you don't see a time that fits your family's schedule, please email Ms. Zoia or Mrs. McAuliffe and we will find one for you.
April's schedule:
Next week, 4/18 to 4/22, everybody is in session Monday and Tuesday. Kindergarten is in session Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. (Pre-K had the option to sign up for pre-arranged optional care.) Please consult the ECEC calendar for further details. There is no Kindergarten 4/25 to 5/3. We will return to the classroom Wednesday, May 4th.
Seed care:
If your child brought home a seed in a pot today, here is how to care for it:
Water it thoroughly. Re-seal bag and put in a warm place (on top of fridge). Check for seed sprouts. Once seed sprouts, place in a sunny spot and water. Plants can be transplanted outside at the end of May typically.
Mud boots and Water...please help:
Hooray for spring! With April showers comes....MUD! Ooey, gooey, delightful mud. Thank you for leaving snow boots or sending rain/mud boots. It is probably safe to take snow pants home now. Please do send extra clothing (socks and pants especially) in case the mud gets too close.
With the warm weather the children need to be drinking lots of water to stay hydrated. Please send a water bottle, clearly labeled with your child's name, each day. We will refill the water bottles throughout the day. At the end of the day, please take them home to be washed and refilled for the next day. Your participation will not only help your child establish a healthy routine of drinking water through this practice, it will help conserve our resources and keep cups from blowing around our playground. Thanks for your cooperation.
Lost and Found:
The lost-and-found is full! Please check for your child's belongings. Thanks.
Thank you!
We are so grateful for all the guest readers and even a dancer! You truly bring great joy to our class. We welcome you to share a book or other talent with us anytime. Please email Ms. Zoia or Mrs. McAuliffe to arrange.
Remember to fill out your Ages and Stages, please.
If you have not yet completed the 60 month Ages and Stages questionairre, please do so by 4/18/16 so we can include the results in your child's portfolio for the April conferences. Thank you.
In order to complete the necessary screening, go to:
Thank you!
We are so grateful for all the guest readers and even a dancer! You truly bring great joy to our class. We welcome you to share a book or other talent with us anytime. Please email Ms. Zoia or Mrs. McAuliffe to arrange.
Remember to fill out your Ages and Stages, please.
If you have not yet completed the 60 month Ages and Stages questionairre, please do so by 4/18/16 so we can include the results in your child's portfolio for the April conferences. Thank you.
In order to complete the necessary screening, go to:
If you are interested, you may also complete the ASQ Social Emotional Questionnaire at: https://www.asqonline.com/
Notes as of March 2016
Join the ECEC for a fun-filled spirit week!
Monday - My Favorite Book Character Monday
Dress as your favorite book character. Bonus: bring in that book to read to the class!
Tuesday - Tie-Dye Tuesday
Come dressed in a rainbow of colors!
Wednesday - Wacky Hair Wednesday
Get wacky and show your creative side - pig tails, faux-hawks, colorful hair ties or braids - totally cool hair styles are the theme of the day!
Thursday - Tell a Tale Thursday
Have a favorite book you can't wait to share? Maybe you wrote a truly exciting story of your own; let your teachers know and share it today!
Friday - Flowers or Fringe Friday
We're all about Peace, Love and Books - wear your favorite flowery or fringe accessories and GET GROOVY!
Notes as of February 2016
Welcome Ms. Zoia:
I am so pleased to have Ms. Zoia join our class! We have enjoyed her enthusiasm each day she joined us as a sub and couldn't be more delighted that she will be with us every day! Please join me in welcoming her! +Peace, Mrs. McAuliffe
Please see her introduction:
The 100th Day of Kindergarten:
I am so pleased to have Ms. Zoia join our class! We have enjoyed her enthusiasm each day she joined us as a sub and couldn't be more delighted that she will be with us every day! Please join me in welcoming her! +Peace, Mrs. McAuliffe
Please see her introduction:
Hello Everyone! I am very excited to be your child's teacher for the rest of this year. I recently graduated from the University of Michigan-Dearborn in December of 2015, where I earned a Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education with a focus in Early Childhood Education with a ZS endorsement. I have been part of the ECEC community since 2012. I returned to the ECEC as the lead teacher substitute after graduating and will now be a lead teacher in the Pre-K/Kindergarten classroom alongside Cyndi McAuliffe.
Outside of the classroom, I enjoy camping and traveling with friends and family. My family camps multiple times a year at Jelly Stone National Park in Freemont, IN. I also love to cook and bake. I am always looking for new recipes to try at home. I love to read all types of books in my spare time. I am a HUGE sports fan. My favorites are football, hockey and soccer.
The 100th Day of Kindergarten:
Can you believe it?
Come Tuesday, 2/16, your kindergartener will have been thinking and
learning in school for 100 days this year!
Both kindergarten and pre-k children plan to celebrate by wearing
pajamas, putting together 100 piece puzzles, and more. If your child attends on
Tuesdays, please see the following for more details. Thanks!
While most of the activities will be provided for at school a
few things the children planned need support at home. First, they can wear pajamas to school. Your
child may wear pajamas (shoes are required and of course, boots for outside). Second,
the morning children can bring 5 stuffed animals to school. Third, Bring in 100
things. Each child will be given a zip
bag on Thursday. They should return it
on Tuesday with 100 things inside. This
will help us see how 100 looks in different ways. The items in the bag should
be non-food items to keep us safe from allergies and not be wasteful. They should not be alive. Please make this a meaningful experience by
having your child count the 100 items into the bag in different ways: count by
2s, 5s,10s.
Here is a rough agenda (times subject to
change based on the needs of the children):
8:00 - 8:45 Decorate room (hang
snowflakes, balloons, a sign, paper chain) and make a crown
8:45 - 9:00 Calendar, stretch, and plan explorations
9:00 -10:00 Dance 100 times, make a heart collage, snack, make a necklace, write 100
numbers
10:00 -10:30 Group
time (add up the 5 stuffed animals each person brought)
10:30 -10:45 Gross
Motor Room: 100 hopscotch and 100 jumps
10:45 -11:00 Partner
reading (100 day books/math books)
11:05 -11:30 Writing
on 100” paper
11:30 -12:00 Recess
12:00 -12:30 Lunch
12:30 - 1:30 Rest
1:30 - 2:00 Recess
2:00 - 2:30 Group time: read 100 day book
2:30 - 3:30 Drive cars on 100 roads, fly paper
airplanes, 100 piece puzzle, 100 ball bounces
Valentine's Day:
The children have voted (13 to 5) to celebrate Valentine’s
Day on Monday, 2/15.
If it is important to your child, Valentines may be brought
to school on Monday, 2/15. If your child
is not scheduled for Monday, cards may be sent in the Thursday or Friday prior
or the Tuesday following. Your child
will receive cards from their classmates on the next day they come to
class. Please make this a meaningful
writing practice by having your child write their own name on each card. Start early and make it fun. Consider practicing using lower case
letters. If your child is up to it, they
may write their classmates names on the cards or envelopes, but it is not
necessary. As a class we discussed how
bucket-filling it is to give and receive cards and everyone should be included. There are 26 children in our class. A list of
names follows. Food treats pose problems
for children with allergies. Children
with tree nut, peanut, and sesame seed allergies and intolerances to wheat,
rye, corn, barley, oats, dairy, casein(dairy), soy, egg, almond, and coconut
are in our class. Please send only non-food Valentines. Thank you for your assistance
in keeping everyone safe. No food,
please.
Abe Alex Ben Sh. Ben S. Danica Elias
Emi Fouad Hadi Ian Jackson J.D.
Lily Lucas Luis Luke Mia Mohamed
Natalia Nathan Norah Ryan Saad Sachet
Sully Violet
Next Year's Kindergarten:
Kindergarten
2016/2017 information night is Tuesday, 2/23, at 6:30 p.m.
Anyone interested in
our kindergarten program next year should plan to attend.
Notes as of January 2016
A note from the children:
Dear Families:
When you are done using stuff, please give it to us. (Emi and Ian)
We want colorful things. (Violet)
We could use clear stuff. (Luke)
We want smooth things like ribbons. (Danica)
We want sparkley things.
We want shiny things. (Natalia)
We want things that are medium. (Alex)
Maybe we could get silver stuff. (Lily)
Please can we have flat foam? (JD)
We need soft things. (Mohamed)
Can we please have some wood, too? (Elias)
We want stuff to play with. (Sully)
We can use stuff to build with. (Ben Si.)
Please make sure everything is safe.
No glass. Nothing with germs. (Norah)
No sharp things; no pokey things. (Ben Sh.)
Can you please wash the things? (Luis)
From the PreK/Kindergarten Class
Thank you for sending winter gear!
We are active, messy, and outdoors everyday unless the temperature with wind chill is below 10°F or there is severe weather, like lightning. The temperature when leaving the house may be different than at the time we go out. Children should come to school prepared to go outside everyday with boots, hats, gloves, etc. Labeling everything with your child’s name is helpful and keeps it out of the lost-and-found. Thank you. We appreciate all the time and energy you spend sending all this gear each day. We have a chart to help children know how to dress for outdoors, but our first guide is you— the family. The teachers will ask the children to put on whatever they were sent with to school. We assume that you will send them prepared for whatever the day will bring. This means snow-pants, too, even when there is no snow to keep the children warm and to protect from the mud. If your child doesn’t have the proper clothing for the weather, we have a few spares to share in an emergency, but operate on the premise that you have sent them prepared to go outside. We have little footwear to share, so boots and pair of shoes for inside will help save our floors from mud and snow. Please make your child aware of what is packed for them, and let us know and we will assist him/her in changing into shoes/boots. And thank you for washing everything! While our playground is notoriously muddy, it is also much fun.
The lost-and-found is overflowing!
Welcome to winter semester 2016
Welcome to the new semester! We also welcome many new
university students. Ms. Ancinec will be
joining us as a lead teacher intern.
Please see her note below.
Notes as of November 2015:
Family education opportunity:
Please join us on Wednesday, November 11 from 5:00 - 6:00 p.m. in the ECEC Seminar room for a presentation by Rick Kornspan regarding sensory needs in young children. If you do not have childcare during the meeting, toys will be set up in the back of the room for children to play with during the session.
Thank you, thank you!
Thanks
to all the families who donated treats and joined us for the Halloween Walk. A special thanks to Norah's mom for reading to us!
Notes as of October 2015:
Children in our class are allergic to:
Tree nuts, peanuts, sesame seeds
Please do not bring these into the classroom.
Thank you for keeping these things out of the classroom by finishing all food before entering the room.
Children in our class are intolerant of:
Wheat, Rye, Corn, Barley, Oats, Dairy, Casien, Soy, Egg, Almond, Coconut
Arrangements will be made for allergen-free and intolerant-free lunch tables.
Your participation is needed:
You have all received an invitation through e-mail to participate in Ages and Stages Online. Here is the link in case you need it:
https://asqonline.com/family/22f268
The optional ASQ-Social Emotional Questionnaire can also be completed by using the following link:
https://asqonline.com/family/6b1dfb
These were originally due on Friday, October 16th, please turn them in ASAP. This is an important tool for you and the teaching team to understand your child’s development and plan learning goals.
If you need a paper copy please see Mrs. Lamrock or Mrs. McAuliffe.
If we are the first class to get all of our ASQ's returned we will win a book for each child and $100 for classroom goodies!
Thank you.
Kindergarten
begins at 8:30 a.m.
Arriving at 8:00, or shortly after, gives your
child a chance for self-initiated play and to get acclimated before beginning
the day. Kindergarteners who arrive after 8:30 a.m. will be marked tardy on
their report card beginning this week (10-6-14). This does not apply to PreK children. Thank
you for helping your child with the morning routine as outlined on the chart at
the writing center. Children will be welcomed
quietly to calendar meeting should arrival be after 8:30.
Halloween Walk 2015
The afternoon of Thursday, 10/29/15, is our Halloween Walk
from 4-5 PM. Children are invited to
wear their costumes to school in the morning, also. Please keep in mind the following guidelines
for safety and to be respectful of all people in our school:
- Masks
should be left at home.
- Costumes
should be friendly. (Example: Mrs.
McAuliffe is afraid of witches and very nervous about clowns. Other people, younger children especially, may be also.)
- Costume
accessories should be left at home so they don’t get lost. (As always, weapons
should stay at home.)
- Costumes may be sent for children who stay all day and would prefer to wear regular clothes until the walk.
- Our
classroom temperature is unpredictable, so please keep layers in mind when
dressing for the day. While the walk is
outside, the rest of the day is inside.
Parents/guardians and siblings (with an adult), that is immediate family, are welcome
to join us. You will be asked to sign your child out and sign her/him back in if you leave him/her in our care until 5 p.m. If you cannot attend and your child is scheduled for the afternoon, your child will walk with a teacher.
Children who are not scheduled for class on that afternoon may attend the walk as long as a parent/guardian attends with them. Please meet in the lobby. We will be the first to walk through right at 4 p.m.
Kindergarteners who leave at 3:30 should be picked up as usual, but are welcome to hang around in our classroom with their adult until the walk begins.
Please email any questions to kkovel@umich.edu or cmcaulif@umich.edu. Thank you.
Children who are not scheduled for class on that afternoon may attend the walk as long as a parent/guardian attends with them. Please meet in the lobby. We will be the first to walk through right at 4 p.m.
Kindergarteners who leave at 3:30 should be picked up as usual, but are welcome to hang around in our classroom with their adult until the walk begins.
Please email any questions to kkovel@umich.edu or cmcaulif@umich.edu. Thank you.
SAVE THE DATE: December 2, 2015
ECEC Program Curriculum Night will be Wednesday, 12/2/15. We look forward to sharing what we have been learning about during this open-house style event. Watch for details soon.
Thank you, thank you!
Thanks to all the families who came out to the apple orchard. A big heartfelt thanks goes to the families who have read to our class!! We'd love to have you, too!
Notes as of September 2015
Scholastic books are always available to order online. Please see the link on the side of our
Scholastic Reading Club
blog. Once we have $20 total in orders we will submit them each month around the end of the month. They offer many low cost options for your family and help us to earn books for our classroom library.
Lost-and-Found:
The basket is near the cubbie area beside the backpack rack. Please check it often.
Snapfish is coming. Have you signed up?
Please stay tuned for your Snapfish invite. Please look for this in your email. Once you accept you will be able to access our classroom photos. If you have not yet signed up for Snapfish, you can do so at pick-up or drop-off times at the sign-in table, all you need is an email address! Looking forward to building our classroom community.
Welcome to School 2015-2016!
Please check out the classroom orientation page on this blog to become familiar with how our classroom works, as well as to answer or develop any questions you may have.
We are pleased to introduce our interns this semester:
Hello students, parents, family, and friends.
My name is Elly Gravelle and I will be working in the pre-k/kindergarten children with Mrs. McAuliffe and Mrs. Lamrock in the fall of 2015.
I come from a family of teachers: My mother is a professor at University of Detroit Mercy, my grandfather taught at MIT and was the president of Carnegie Mellon, my brother is a high school teacher in Steamboat Springs Colorado, my aunt taught at the University of Michigan-Dearborn and my uncle teaches at University of New Hampshire.
We are pleased to introduce our interns this semester:
Hello students, parents, family, and friends. My name is Elly Gravelle and I will be working in the pre-k/kindergarten children with Mrs. McAuliffe and Mrs. Lamrock in the fall of 2015.
I am currently teaching at Cook’s Academy in Bloomfield Hills, while finishing my final semester in the Children and Families program at the University of Michigan-Dearborn. I also studied Elementary Education at the University of Detroit Mercy, and I have a Bachelor of Arts in public relations from DePaul University. I have worked with children, and in education throughout my life, whether in a daycare or after care program capacity, or as an Administrative assistant at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Architecture (when my children were a little older).
I come from a family of teachers: My mother is a professor at University of Detroit Mercy, my grandfather taught at MIT and was the president of Carnegie Mellon, my brother is a high school teacher in Steamboat Springs Colorado, my aunt taught at the University of Michigan-Dearborn and my uncle teaches at University of New Hampshire.
Hello, my name is Audra Hight and I am an intern in the Pre-K/Kindergarten classroom on Wednesday from 8-3:30 and Friday from 8-4. I am a senior at The University of Michigan-Dearborn pursuing my degree in Early Childhood Education with an Elementary Education Certification. I live at home with my husband of two years Edward and our two pets, our cat Sassy and dog Bailey.
This will be my third time as a student at the Early Childhood Education Center. I have also had experiences in other classrooms in different elementary schools. My goals for this semester are to be a kind and understanding teacher, to treat every child as an individual and to learn how to be the best teacher possible. I am very excited to be working along side Mrs. McAuliffe, Mrs. Lamrock, Ms. Gravelle and Mr. Brent this semester. Thank you!