School Theme:  “Raising the Bar”

Our schedule:       LUNCH  11:40 – 12:00               RECESS  12:00 – 12:15                 

                                                                     SNACK  around 9:15am  (please use healthy snack list)                                                            It is important that your child to eat a healthy breakfast so they feel ready to learn!

Monday  - Spanish 9:00-9:50        Success Maker 1:00-1:50

Tuesday- Computer ( week A)    Guidance (week B)  10:40-11:30

Wednesday - Mass  8:15am              Music  1:50-2:40
Thursday- Art 1:50-2:40
Friday - P. E.  1:00-1:50     wear tennis shoes

                                                                                             February 1, 2012

Dear Parents,                                                                                             

       Reinforcement of learned skills in all areas is an important part of your child’s progress and achievement.   Please find a little extra time to practice some of our new concepts.  We will continue to work on addition and subtraction through 20.  Your child needs the practice that you can provide at home.  We appreciate your continued work with the book bags (fluency) and the word lists. Remember, we want your child’s oral reading to be a speech-like pace so the reading level does not have to difficult to help improve your child’s fluency.   Please continue to sign the log sheets each day.

     We will continue to have subtraction time tests (10 or less).  It is vital for children to memorize the basic facts (addition & subtraction).  This will serve them well in second grade and beyond.  

 We all should be assisting your child in developing responsibilities in all areas. Completing homework and returning it on time is a vital skill to achieve.  Review school and classroom rules with your child.  Please reinforce proper church behavior when you attend church as a family.  We ask our students to sit up and kneel up straight.  We remind them that they should be quiet and respectful so others can listen and pray.  We encourage them to say the responses and sing. 

     It is very important to study spelling words a few minutes each day.  Please don’t wait until Thursday night.  We want your child to develop good study skills.  Even if the words are easy now, later the words will be harder and require more time.  Have your child underline the spelling word in each sentence for Monday night homework.  Remember that life is a process and learning to do things a little bit at a time is easier.
       Be sure to dress your child for the weather.  They go out 15 minutes for recess unless it is too cold, wet or rainy.
        Mrs. Herbert will once again have a Scholastic Book Fair during our March conferences.  Please support our book fair - the school library benefits.  I do not send a book order in March.
      Some school supplies (crayons and glue) may need to be replenished.  Be sure to ask your child.  We have enough tissues and paper towels at this time but may need to ask for donations later in the year.
     Have a Happy Heart Month and we appreciate your wonderful support.  When we work together, the children benefit! 
Valentine Party    Tuesday, February 14th   1:45-2:30pm  (volunteers needed to plan)
Skating party February 15th - No Homework
February 20th  No School  - Presidents’ Day
February 18th ----Market Day 9-10am in cafeteria  
PTSO – Taste of Saint Gabriel February 18th   Barnyard Bash 6:00pm – 1:00am
Early Dismissal   1:00pm  Thursday, February 16th
Full uniform break – Box Top/Skating party February 28th
Conferences     March 1st   8am-8pm   
                    Have a heart healthy month!

 Mrs. Wagner                          Mrs. Jacks                    Miss Janie

 
August Newsletter

 It is important for the children to eat a good breakfast and lunch so they feel like learning.  We eat our healthy morning snack during story time about 9:15am. (See list for healthy choices).

     Be sure to check the Home folder nightly and sign any paper that is marked with PLEASE SIGN AND RETURN.  The homework will reinforce skills and concepts learned at school while developing responsibility and good habits for a lifetime.  Each child earns 5 points for returning completed homework on time.  If the homework is not turned in, then the student receives a zero ( posted on Power Grade).  The grade will be changed when the homework has been returned. One point will be deducted each day the homework is late (1st day- 4 points, 2nd day- 3 points, etc.). 

      Papers on the left side have been completed and may remain at home.     On your child’s corrected papers you may see a capital C.  This means that your child’s work is correct.  Many papers will have a check, star, sticker or written comments.  Some papers completed as a class may not have any “teacher corrections” but your child will have checked it.  On tests you will see the number correct over the number possible 13/15.

      As a school, we use the PeaceBuilders program.  We ask that you reinforce the principles with your child at home.       PRAISE PEOPLE, GIVE UP PUT DOWNS, NOTICE HURTS, RIGHT WRONGS, and SEEK WISE PEOPLE         Please discuss the importance of listening and following the school /classroom rules!

      We will use the behavior book starting on September 6th.  The students will be given an oral reminder about the rules every morning focusing on positive behavior.  When your child follows the rules thus being a PeaceBuilder, he/she will earn Leopards’ Club (a reward of extra playtime, homework pass, etc.).  Your child cannot have any missing homework assignments (2 late assignments will be allowed).  A homework grade is recorded on your child’s progress report (Oct., Jan., March, and year’s end).   If your child chooses to not follow the rules then we will first remind him/her of the expected behavior.  Continuing not to follow rules will result in signing the book (-2 points from behavior grade for each time signed).  Each child can sign the book up to 5 times in a month (except December – 4 times) before losing the privilege of Leopards’ Club.
      We use the behavior book to remind the children of our rules and that each one of us should strive to be PeaceBuilder.  A student having a difficult day (signing 2 or more times) will receive a sad note to be signed by parents and returned to school.  I do not send notes for signing just 1 time a day. If your child informs you about signing the book, please ask for details before making a judgment.  We want to encourage positive behavior/choices and learn that we all make a mistake sometimes.  Each child needs to learn to correct a mistake whether it is schoolwork or behavior.
      Starting about mid-September, your child will bring home a “book bag” (Ziploc) containing sight word lists and later books.  Please take 10 –15 minutes to work on these activities.  A note sent with the “book bag” will better explain this part of the homework.  Spelling starts the week of November 1st.  The yearly list will be sent the latter part of October.

      Scholastic book order forms will be sent home about once a month (not October or March due to Book Fair- our library benefits).  It is not mandatory that you purchase any books.  The prices are reasonable and we do receive free books for our classroom.  If you decide to purchase books, you must pay by check - payable to SCHOLASTIC BOOK CLUB.  The date due will be marked on the order form.  Send the form and check in a labeled (your child’s name and 1-Wg) sealed envelope.
     Your child may bring a labeled water bottle (20 oz or less) to our class.  He/she must bring the labeled bottle to school each morning filled with water (kept in child’s cubby).  It is far too time-consuming to fill at the water fountain.  Be careful with items in the backpack.  Last year several library books were ruined by leaky water bottles.  We will remind the students to take the bottles home each day.

     September   PeaceBuilders, prayers, proper church behavior, safety, animals and spiders
      October       praying the rosary – Virgin Mary       plants, bones, autumn, changing seasons  
      November   Thanksgiving, Pilgrim, Native American and helping others
      December    Advent, bringing joy to others and Christmas
      January        winter and Martin Luther King
      February      presidents, black history, the heart, Ash Wednesday, Lent and the Stations
      March          St. Patrick, St. Joseph, changing weather, wind,   Holy Week
      April            Easter, spring, Kentucky, water cycle and Earth Day
      May             Virgin Mary, Derby, Kentucky, Flag Day and summer safety

Important Dates :       Conferences    October 6th        March 1st        
Halloween Party      October 31st (Monday)   (younger siblings are not allowed at parties)
First Grade Advent Mass Dress Rehearsal  Tentative date- Dec 15th 9:00-9:45am (photo opportunity)

  Any changes for afternoon dismissal should be done through the school office by 2pm each day. Each teacher receives a folder about 2:30pm with any dismissal information so we are aware of any changes directed to the office.   If you send a note (with your child) or e-mail, we put it on the wall by door. When sending an e-mail, be sure to write something about your child on memo line since I delete any unknown e-mails.  If you do send an e-mail concerning your child’s day, be sure to copy to my assistants in the event that I am absent.  Whether you send a note, e-mail or voice mail, I try to respond as soon as possible.  However, my evenings are family time.

Label all clothing – sweatshirts, jackets, coats, hats, gloves, etc. with your child’s name.  Lost/Found items are placed in the cafeteria.    When the cool weather starts, be sure to check weather reports daily so your child has the proper outer wear.

 Please read the handbook, especially the information on medications to be administered at school and the field trip policy.  

Send your first grader to school each day with a hug, kiss and a smile!

 Thank you for choosing Saint Gabriel School.

    Mrs. Wagner                              Mrs. Kristy Jacks               Mrs. Janie Kurzendoerfer    

 mwagner@stabriel.net                  kjacks@stgabriel.net        jkurzendoerfer@stgabriel.net

  I keep my web page updated with weekly homework, monthly newsletter, and other information - so be sure to check.