Newsletter Sept. 2, 2016

Welcome to a new school year!  I hope everyone had a wonderful summer.  I am excited to be teaching a 5/6 classroom and look forward to our year together.     Our specials schedule this year follows:

Monday - P.E.

Tuesday- Art

Wednesday - Library

Thursday- Music and P.E.

Friday - Technology

 

For those students that are participating in band this year, the band days will be Tuesday and Thursday.  Please help your child remember to bring their instruments on that day.  On Tuesday the children were given a handbook with expectations for band class this year.

Students need to wear appropriate footwear and clothing on our P.E. days.  On days with good weather, P.E. class may be held outside.  Students might want to bring in an extra pair of shoes on the P.E. days.

This year our class will be participating in team building activities.  We will begin the year with a whole 5/6 unit team building field trip led by our P.E. teacher, Mr. Blanchard.  Please look in your child’s Friday folder for a permission slip.  Our unit will be traveling in cars to Wrightsville Beach next Friday for a day of activities.  Students should bring this permission slip back on next Tuesday, Sept. 6^th. 

Throughout the year our class will participate in a variety of team building activities.  These activities will help students develop the ability to collaborate and contribute within a team, practice positive attitudes and actions for learning in a team environment, and learn to foster mutual respect and trust, creating a successful team experience. 

During our first week together, we have started an index card tower activity.  Each student was asked to create a design for building the tallest freestanding index card tower using only index cards and 24 inches of tape.  They were asked to convince their teammates that their plan was most likely to succeed. Next, the group was asked to agree on one plan to try out.  We will continue this activity early next week.   

Our class will also be participating in nature journaling again this year.  Many of our lessons will include something about “weather,” which will be the theme in our class this year.

Next Tuesday is parent information night from 6:00 to 7:00.  During this time classrooms will have two twenty minute sessions to discuss expectations, schedules, and more.  There will also be a band presentation at 6:20 and 6:50.

Next Tuesday, Sept. 6^th is also the school picture day.  If you are planning to order pictures, please be sure to send the order form and money with your child on Tuesday.  If you are ordering online, it is my understanding that you still need to send a printout of your order.

Thanks to all parents that returned my blog permission slip this week.  I will be posting a copy of this letter on my class blog.  Throughout the year, I will be keeping you informed with what is happening in the classroom via the classroom blog with newsletters, photos and student work.  If you prefer to receive a copy of my communication in your child’s Friday folder, please send me an email or note.

Please feel free to contact me at any time with questions or comments.  My number at school is 223-7936   (ext.317)   or my email is eshedd@u32.org.     

I look forward to an exciting year together!