Last Week!

May 18-21

I can not believe this is the last week of kindergarten!  As I have looked back over this year I have been thrilled and amazed with how each of your children has grown!  I am so very honored to have had a front row seat to watch!  And…we still have lots of memories to make this week!

Monday - Nature Walk - 9:00.  Please be sure your child wears tennis shoes and brings a snack and a water bottle (one they can carry).  We will walk the nature trail with a couple of the other kindergarten classes.  If any parents would like to join us, we would love to have you.  Just let me know. 

We will also pick up our yearbooks in the morning and spend some time looking at them and signing them.  You should see kindergarteners signing yearbooks!  ;)

Tuesday - Talent show - 9:00 - This is always so much fun!  You are welcome to join us in the auditorium to enjoy the talent show if you like! 

Wednesday - Kindergarten "FUN" Day - Kindergarten does NOT participate in the school wide Honors Day.  Therefore your child does NOT need to wear dressy enrichment day clothes.  In fact, please don't!  We are going to enjoy a day of some of our favorite Kindergarten actives, many outside, including bubbles!

Thursday - We will celebrate some of our favorite things from Kindergarten and teacher appreciation day.

Please note the whole school has noon dismissal Tuesday - Thursday.  That always makes for CRAZY carpool!!  We will plan to be out to carpool by 12:00 each day in order to get through the halls before it is too much for us to navigate!  Feel free to meet us on the sidewalk as we exit the building if you want to avoid the very long car line.  It is, of course, especially crazy on Thursday.  Please plan to pick your child up in the classroom on Thursday.  You will need to come into the building that day to pick up your child's "report card" in the office.  Those will be available at noon.  We will be sure to be ready for you by 11:50 so that you can pick up any other children or stop by the office at noon.  

On Thursday I will tell the children about their homework for the summer. 

• Play outside
• Get dirty (like ring-around-the-bathtub dirty!)
• Go swimming
• Read good books
• Talk to God everyday

I can not end this last blog post without attempting to express my gratitude for all of you this year.  This has certainly been the most difficult year of my life, but through that God has used your children and your families to be an incredible blessing to me and my family.  Your prayers as a family are evident in the way your children have prayed at school.  You have brought meals, sent cards, helped in the classroom, prayed and encouraged.  I will forever cherish the way your precious children have prayed faithfully and fervently for Kylie, the Myers and for me.  I have been so thankful for every day spent with your children and every hug I have received from them.  There were days when God provided my anchor in the storm through time with them.  I have loved every class God has given me the privilege to teach, but this particular class will forever hold a very special place in my heart.  

I pray each of your families has a wonderful, fun summer!  Enjoy!!!
I love you all!
Rhonda

Short u and Rumplestlitzkin

May 4-7

Sound of the Week – short u
Book of the Week – RumplestiltzkinHabit of the Month – TruthfulnessMom of the Month – Amy Adkison


We had a wonderful week!  Thank you Bonnie Pruitt, for teaching us to paint a cherry tree branch as we wrapped up our study of China.  We were so proud of our beautiful paintings!

We also enjoyed celebrating not only Whit's birthday, but his mom's as well!

This is a big week!  We are so excited about our field trip to Morning Glory Farm on Tuesday!  (and the weather is supposed to be wonderful!)  Here are some important reminders for Tuesday:

• Arrive at school at the regular time.  We will depart at 9:00.
• Plan on pick up at 1:15, in the regular carpool location.
• Students should wear casual enrichment day attire - khaki shorts/skort, pants or jeans, navy polo and tennis shoes.
• Send a disposable sack lunch and water bottle.
• Students must have a booster seat to go on the trip.

Wednesday will be our last chapel this year.  Please be sure you child wears their dressy enrichment day attire on Wednesday.  

This week’s book is a fairy tale – a Grimm Brothers fairy tale, Rumplestiltzkin.  We will learn this week that fairy tales were stories told from generation to generation, and finally collected and written down by the Grimm brothers.  Paul O. Zelinsky is our author and illustrator this week, and he won a Caldecott honor for his re-telling and illustration of this famous fairy tale.  We’ll remember that Anna read this fairy tale to Amber in Amber on the Mountain.  We’ll notice that Anna’s tale had a different ending... that’s the way it is with things that are told and retold and retold again.  We’ll also read other Grimm’s fairy tales this week.  We’ll learn about Walt Disney, and his re-telling of many of our favorite fairy tales.  For more great  summer reading ideas, spend some time reading Grimm’s versions... never settle for anything but the original!  

Also remember that the rising grade level meeting and Campus meeting will be Tuesday, May 12, starting at 6:15.  You will attend the Pre 1st or 1st Grade meeting, followed by the campus meeting.  

Short o Week - Bonny's Big Day

April 27-30

Sound of the Week – short o
Book of the Week – Bonny's Big Day
Habit of the Month – Fortitude
Mom of the Month – Bonnie Pruitt

Thank you to Bonnie Pruitt for our taste of Chinese food!  We loved trying our hand with chopsticks!  We also enjoyed a visit from Ben's grandmother!  She taught us to say "For God so loved the world" in Vietnamese, brought delicious dumplings and shared with us about growing up in Vietnam.  

James Alfred Wight was a British veterinarian who wrote of his adventures as a country veterinarian under the pen name of James Herriot.  His book All Creatures Great and Small was loved by millions, and some of those stories have been made into children’s books.  Our Book of the Week is one of these -  Bonny’s Big Day.  Bonny is an old, large farm horse living out her late years in the meadow behind the farmhouse.  The question is whether Bonny is a work horse or a pet.  We will read several of James Herriot’s books this week.   They are all delightful and your whole family will enjoy them!  They can be found as individual books or as a Treasury.  Sounds like a good reason for a trip to the library… or amazon.com.  

We will enjoy our trip to the farm next week, Tuesday, May 5th.   Please be sure to send in the $5 for the trip.  I will remind you in next week's blog about dress code, lunch, car seats and late pick up for our trip.  

Short i Week and The Story About Ping

April 20-23

Sound of the Week – short i
Book of the Week – The Story About Ping
Habit of the Month – Fortitude
Mom of the Month - Bonnie Pruitt


We have so many fun things to share since the last blog update!

We had our French snack like Madeline, croissants and jam, and a visit from Miss Clavel!

We shared the story of Christ's death and resurrection using our "Benjamin's Box" with our partner class!

And we have enjoyed our guest readers!

And there will be so many more fun and exciting things to come in these last 5 weeks of school!

We are continuing our focus on short vowel sounds with short i this week.  The children are so very excited to be tapping, sounding and reading words and stories.  Please take time to read the short vowel books when your child brings them home.  They are so excited to have the chance to read to you!

Our book of the week this week is The Story About Ping.  This is an interesting glimpse into a very different kind of life - living on a houseboat in China – through the eyes of a duck named Ping. Ping tries to avoid punishment and ends up having quite an adventure.  He meets a little boy who lives on a house boat, and finally makes his way back to his own family and boat.   We’ll continue to learn about China and even have the chance to taste some Chinese food and try our hand at chopsticks!  We’ll discuss homes, family (and extended family), and lifestyles. We’ll also discuss discipline – both parental and divine!  We’ll see God’s purposes in it for His good and our protection.  A few of our verses are:  Ecclesiastes 4: 9-10, Deuteronomy 8: 5, Job 5:17 and Psalm 94: 12.

Short a week - Madeline

March 30 - April 2

Sound of the Week – short a
Book of the Week – Madeline
Habit of the Month – Truthfulness
Mom of the Month - Bonnie Pruitt


This week begins our specific look at short vowel sounds.  We will cover one each week…until the end of the year.  I can not believe how few weeks we have left! We’ll be focusing on one vowel per week – listening for short vowel sounds, reading and spelling short vowel words.

We will still have a Book of the Week:
a –Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans
e –Seven Chinese Brothers by Mahy
i –The Story about Ping by M. Flack
o –Bonnie’s Big Day by James Herriot
u - Rumplestiltzkin by Paul O. Zelinsky

We will not be sending home these books, as we want your children to begin to do Narration Journal entries from class readings only. So, just as with the books all year, please don't get the book to re-read at home. It will seem "hard" at first, but this really is part of the way we learn to process material. This leads to very valuable comprehension and study skills down the road! These are wonderful books, great authors, and important genre of literature you may want to explore this spring and summer!!

This week’s book is Madeline, by Ludwig Bemelmans.  This is a very special book for me!  I remember my Granddaddy reading this delightful story to me over and over again when I was a little girl. We will all have fun learning and saying this rhyming story of Madeline and the “old house in Paris that was covered in vines.”  We will revisit rhymes, explore the many sights of Paris found in the illustrations, and look in-depth at the Eiffel Tower.  We’ll look briefly at human anatomy – muscles, nerves, bones and organs – even pictures of a healthy and diseased appendix!  We’ll count by twos, talk about emotions and things that make us smile, frown or be afraid.  We’ll see that God made us “fearfully and wonderfully” – emotionally, physically and spiritually!  (It’s a good week to review home address and to learn your home phone number!)

There are several other Madeline books – Madeline and the Bad Hat (lots of short a words - and bad behavior - in that one!) and Madeline in London (a fanciful story with a delightful look at many of London’s famous sights!)  Explore – and enjoy!

Don't forget about Kite & Rocket day this Thursday, April 2!  This is a family event for K-2.  We will not be going as a class.  We will have regular carpool on that day.  Please pick your child up as usual, whether you are planning to attend Kite & Rocket day or not.  We will not be able to take students to the event.  As with any day, we also can not release kindergarteners to older siblings.  Thank you for helping us make certain all children are dismissed safely!

I enjoyed our conferences this week.  Your children are such a precious blessing to me!  I am so grateful for all of you!

B Week, Conferences & Blueberries for Sal

March 23-25

Sound of the Week – B

Book of the Week – Blueberries for Sal

Habit of the Month – Truthfulness

Mom of the Month – Emily Truong

Even though it is a short week, B Week is Big!  Thank you Emily Truong for our delicious blueberry muffins.  We enjoyed them outside today while we read our Book of the Week, Blueberries for Sal, by Robert McCloskey.  This classic story by the author of Make Way for Duckings takes us on a blueberry-picking adventure with a mom and daughter.  On the other side of the  mountain is a mother bear and her cub getting their fill of berries.  They are all so involved with gathering their berries, they don't notice that something surprising has happened!  You may want to check out your own public library for other books by Robert Mccluskey.  They're all wonderful!  

We will continue working on "spinners" and writing our own stories.  Please don't miss the chance to have your child read the words on their spinners and their own books to you when they bring them home.  They are so very proud of their work!    We are also working on some basic addition.  Look for things at home that you can add.  Count them together and write number sentences.  Again, your children are so proud of all they are learning!  

I am looking forward to meeting with you for our conferences this week!  I am blessed to spend time with your children!

"I" Week and Poetry Recital!

March 9-12

Sound of the Week – I

Book of the Week – Inch By Inch

Habit of the Month – Truthfulness

Mom of the Month – Emily Truong

We had a wonderful celebration of our 100th day of school!  In fact, we were so busy having fun I forgot to take any pictures.  Thank you to Emily Truing, our Mom of the Month for helping us celebrate 100!

We also loved our preview of the ballet Cinderella!  We especially enjoyed meeting with my niece Jenna and her friend Lisa.  They visited us in costume and told us about how they practice, answered questions about how they stand on their toes and let us see their beautiful costumes up close.  (And I appreciated your sweet children making Jenna feel so special!)

This week our book of the week is Inch by Inch.  We will talk about measurement and the art of collage.  It is a wonderful book to go with our taste of spring weather!  

This is also the week we have been working and waiting for...our poetry recital!  We are so excited to recite for you on Tuesday!  Please remember to have your child wear "Sunday clothes".  Emily Truong is coordinating refreshments for our reception in the classroom immediately following the recital.  The recital will start at 8:40.  We will leave from the foyer promptly at 8:20 that morning and head down to our classroom to get ready.  Please make every effort to have your child at school by 8:20 and please give us those few minutes to get ready for you before you join us in the classroom.  I am looking forward to this special day!

H Week, 100th Day & Ballet!

March 2-5

Sound of the Week – H

Book of the Week – Harold and the Purple Crayon

Habit of the Month – Truthfulness

Mom of the Month – Emily Truong

We enjoyed celebrating Maggie's birthday this week!  It was a treat that her grandparents could come too!

We also loved our visit from the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra!  Thank you to Susan Crist for working to make that possible!  Your children especially enjoyed the William Tell Overture!

We have an incredibly busy week this week!  Wednesday we celebrate our 100^th Day of Kindergarten!!  We will have lots of fun with 100 all day…from counting and writing to jumping jacks to steps to snacks to number-lines!  Fun, fun, fun!  It’s also H week, so we’ll be having fun with H…hands, heads, hearts, and hugs!  We have a fun new song:  “Ho ho ho hosanna!  Ha ha hallelujah! He he he He saved me, I’ve got the joy of the Lord!”

 

Our book of the week this week is Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson.  This classic children’s story may have been one of your childhood favorites!  Harold and his imagination take us all on a wonderful journey.  We’ll be talking about things we think about at night when we are in bed, about our imaginations, and about our homes….and learn that we don’t really draw on the walls of our homes with crayons!  J

On Thursday we will get a preview of the Perimeter Ballet's presentation of Cinderella.  I have even arranged for my favorite member of the ballet company, my niece Jenna, to visit our class after the performance.  She will show them her toe shoes and answer their questions about the ballet.  

Your children are doing a excellent job memorizing their poems for our poetry recital on March 10th.  Please continue to help them practice at home, speaking slowly and introducing themselves and their poems.  We are practicing at school too!  Our recital will start at 8:40 on the morning of the 10th.  Please plan for your child to wear "Sunday clothes".  Our Mom of the Month, Emily Truong will be contacting you about sending in some refreshments for our "reception" after the recital.  

Thank you!

There truly are not words to thank you appropriately for the love, support and prayers you have shown to my family.  I know that your precious children have prayed faithfully and your families have prayed faithfully.  I often showed Kylie pictures of our class, told her of their precious prayers, told her funny things they would say and delivered sweet cards and pictures they made for her.  She loved visiting our classroom or seeing them in the hall.  They made her feel special and loved.  

Thank you for every card, text, email and meal.  Thank you Meghan Grubbs and Amy Adkison for serving to allow others to attend the memorial service.  I am eternally grateful to Susan Crist and Wendy Williams for their gracious and generous support as I have been with my family and to Tara Rose for so willingly and wonderfully taking care of the class.  As Robin and Mark have said, "The blessing of being loved so well by so many has changed us forever."  

I have missed your sweet children so very much and I am looking forward to lots of hugs tomorrow and looking forward to the "tomorrow" when "He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain.  All these things are gone forever."  Revelation 21:4.  

With much love and gratitude,

Rhonda

"Q" Week - The Quilt Story

February 9-12

Sound of the Week  - Q

Book of the Week – The Quilt Story

Habit of the Month – Thinking

Mom of the Month – Tammy Thomas

We loved O Week, learning about opposites and The Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Gray Bridge.  We built our own lighthouses and GREAT bridge!

Thank you Mrs. Thomas for our fun octopus and seaweed snack (aka hot dog and noodles with green food coloring!) and for reading to us!

Our book of the week for next week is The Quilt Story by Tomie dePaola.  This is a sweet story of a little girl who moves, and finds comfort in a quilt made for her grandmother long ago.  We’ll talk about the blessings of heritage – not just stuff, but of faith too.  We’ll read Psalm 61:5 and 119:111.  We’ll also look at another wonderful story The Quiltmaker’s Gift. 

Note – Tomie dePaola is a wonderful illustrator, and many of his books are worth reading.  Look carefully however, as some (Strega Nona) may not be books you care to read to your children.

If you have any family quilts you would be comfortable sending in, please do.  Just email and let me know the quilt is coming.  If possible, send a little background information about the quilt.  I will have your child share about his/her family quilt but I can guide them with questions with the information you send. 

Be practicing at home for our Poetry Recital!  We will be practicing at school too.  We’ll be working on speaking slowly and clearly…with inflection!  Be sure your calendars are marked for Thursday, March 10^th, (either 8:40 or 9:00 – pending arrangements with another class).  “Sunday clothes” for your kindergartener!

We will enjoy Lower Elementary Chapel on Wednesday, February 11^th.  You are invited to worship with us if you would like.  We will be singing two worship songs with Pre 1^st and Whit will be playing a song on the piano.  Our speaker, PCS Dad, Mr. Parambo, has a very special message for us about the armor of God!  Please be sure to have your child wear their dressy enrichment clothes that day.

Valentine's Day, February 14th - So that we do not encourage the "boy-girl" relationship (primarily in the Middle School), our school administrators decided a few years ago that it is best not to have a class and student to student exchange of Valentines at school.  We do however, in Kindergarten, make a Valentine for our parents. I am so glad you are making Valentines at the Grubbs home on February 10th after school!  Thank you to our wonderful room mom, Meghan Grubbs!

O is for Opposites!

Week of February 2-4

Sound of the Week - O

Book of the Week - The Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Gray Bridge

Habit of the Month - Thinking

Moms of the Month – Tammy Thomas

Thank you, Jennifer Stephens, our January Mom of the Month for bringing cooked and uncooked Noodles for us to use making letters on N week!  This is a fun thing to try at home!

We enjoyed our guest readers, Kirk Stephens and Emily Truong!

This week is O… and you may wonder what O has to do with lighthouses and bridges! The topic for the week is OPPOSITES – the little lighthouse and the great bridge.  We’ll discuss that though opposite in size and different in design, each had a unique plan and purpose … just like God has for each of us!! 

I hope you’ve enjoyed having your child read his/ her “books” to you as much as they’re enjoying writing them.  I am so proud of the determination, joy and satisfaction they’re finding as they enter this new world of reading, writing, and illustrating! 

THIS WEEK’S BOOK

 The Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Grey Bridge by Hildegarde Swift

Constructed in the 1920s, the Jeffrey’s Hook Lighthouse aided navigation of shipping up the Hudson River.  After the George Washington Bridge was built in the 1930s, it was determined that the lighthouse was no longer needed.  It was deactivated and scheduled for demolition in 1947.  This children’s book renewed interest in the lighthouse and it has remained open to the public as a reminder of our country’s past.  If you want to take your own “tour” of the lighthouse, go to www.hudsonlights.com/littlered .  This book will guide us as we discuss opposites, lighthouses, our differences and similarities, and celebrating God’s unique plan and purpose in each of our lives.  

Thank you again for your understanding as we schedule our Poetry Recital.  There are many things that go into that schedule involving Mrs. Crist and other classes.  We are on the calendar for Tuesday, March 10.  We will start working on our individual poems this week!