I am still looking for volunteers for Environmental Day. If you are available to help out we would love to have you!
I am looking for 2 parents that would be willing to help lead one of the five activities that each class will be participating in that day. There will be a short meeting on April 14 at 2:30. At this meeting you will learn what your station is and what you will need to do on April 23.
Environmental Day will be on April 23 from 8-1:45. You will have a break from 10:00-12:30 for a lunch break when the children are at recess, lunch and specials.
Please consider coming out and helping. Shoot me an email if you are interested. Thank you!
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
April Events at Spears
Hello Spears Parents,
Just a reminder on some upcoming events here at Spears:
1. There will be school this Friday, April 2nd. Also, we will have school on Friday, May 28th. These dates are designated bad weather make-up days.
2. April 6th and 7th - our 5th grade students will be TAKS testing. We are requesting that our parents in ALL GRADE LEVELS refrain from eating lunch or volunteering in the school , except for PALS, on these dates. This will provide our students a quiet environment so they can focus on their testing.
3. April 21st - Lifetouch Photo will be here taking individual and class photos.
4. April 20th - last day for tutoring for K - 2nd grades.
5. April 22nd - last day for tutoring for 3rd - 5th grades.
*** Parents please be mindful of tutoring pick up times: K - 2nd is 3:45; 3rd - 5th is 4:00 ***
6. April 27th and 28th - 3rd and 4th grade students will be TAKS testing. No parent visitors or volunteers today. PALS are permitted for K-2 grades.
7. April 29th - 5th grade students will be TAKS testing. No parent visitors or volunteers today. PALS are permitted for K-2 grades.
Please review the attached updated guidelines for student drop off in the mornings and pick up in the afternoons.
Thank you and have a "happy" day.
Spears Office Staff
Just a reminder on some upcoming events here at Spears:
1. There will be school this Friday, April 2nd. Also, we will have school on Friday, May 28th. These dates are designated bad weather make-up days.
2. April 6th and 7th - our 5th grade students will be TAKS testing. We are requesting that our parents in ALL GRADE LEVELS refrain from eating lunch or volunteering in the school , except for PALS, on these dates. This will provide our students a quiet environment so they can focus on their testing.
3. April 21st - Lifetouch Photo will be here taking individual and class photos.
4. April 20th - last day for tutoring for K - 2nd grades.
5. April 22nd - last day for tutoring for 3rd - 5th grades.
*** Parents please be mindful of tutoring pick up times: K - 2nd is 3:45; 3rd - 5th is 4:00 ***
6. April 27th and 28th - 3rd and 4th grade students will be TAKS testing. No parent visitors or volunteers today. PALS are permitted for K-2 grades.
7. April 29th - 5th grade students will be TAKS testing. No parent visitors or volunteers today. PALS are permitted for K-2 grades.
Please review the attached updated guidelines for student drop off in the mornings and pick up in the afternoons.
Thank you and have a "happy" day.
Spears Office Staff
Monday, March 29, 2010
Kindergarten Round Up
If you have a neighbor or friend that will have a little one coming to Kindergarten next year in Frisco please let them know that Kindergarten Round-up will be April 12-16. They just need to head over to their home school and register their future Kindergartner. The school will be open late Tuesday of that week to provided additional hours for registering. Thank you all so much for helping us get the word out.
Special Events This Week!
Book Fair:
Monday, March 29th to Friday, April 2nd from 7:30 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. Book Fair will close at 10 am on Monday, April 5th.
Family Movie Night:
Tuesday March, 30th from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. We will be showing "CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS". Book Fair will be open during the movie.
Lunch with a Loved One:
Tuesday - K, 2nd & 4th (You may head to the Book Fair as soon as you and your child have finished eating. We will be back in the room at 11:00 to start our afternoon. If we are already back in the classroom when you are finished shopping please just send your child back to the room and you can take their books home. Thanks!)
Thursday - 1st, 3rd, & 5th
As a note.....PTA still needs some volunteers!!!
Monday, March 29th to Friday, April 2nd from 7:30 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. Book Fair will close at 10 am on Monday, April 5th.
Family Movie Night:
Tuesday March, 30th from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. We will be showing "CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS". Book Fair will be open during the movie.
Lunch with a Loved One:
Tuesday - K, 2nd & 4th (You may head to the Book Fair as soon as you and your child have finished eating. We will be back in the room at 11:00 to start our afternoon. If we are already back in the classroom when you are finished shopping please just send your child back to the room and you can take their books home. Thanks!)
Thursday - 1st, 3rd, & 5th
As a note.....PTA still needs some volunteers!!!
Monday, March 22, 2010
Welcome back!
Wow! From the stories I have already heard today it sounds like everyone had a wonderful Spring Break! A few things to keep you in the loop:
* Don't forget to read the note from Mrs. Soloman, our assistant principal, regarding our Drill Day this Wednesday.
* Bad Weather Make-up Day is coming up! We will have school on April 2nd.
* We will not be introducing new Word Wall words. This week we are reviewing previous words and seasons. You can find the entire list of Word Wall words on the Spears Kinder website.
* We are wrapping up our Farm Unit this week. Your children will have their very first video-conference at the end of the week. Very exciting! (How times have changed since we were in Kindergarten?!)
* In math this week we are continuing our lessons and reviews on money and fractions. Don't forget to check out http://www.dovewhisper.com/ for extra practice on these skills. When you go to this website you can click on the grade level and subject. A menu of specific concepts will pop up and you can choose which ones you want your child to practice. All grade levels in Frisco frequently use this site for extra practice. It's a good one!
* Report cards will be coming home next Thursday!
* Permission slips for the upcoming field trip to Fire Safety Town are going home today. Please sign and return as soon as you can. Thanks!
* Our library time has been changed for this week. PTA is setting up for the Book Fair this Thursday during our normal library time. Please send your child's book with them to school in the morning.
Thanks again for all your help at home! The children fell right back into our routine this morning and have been wonderful! Have a super week!
* Don't forget to read the note from Mrs. Soloman, our assistant principal, regarding our Drill Day this Wednesday.
* Bad Weather Make-up Day is coming up! We will have school on April 2nd.
* We will not be introducing new Word Wall words. This week we are reviewing previous words and seasons. You can find the entire list of Word Wall words on the Spears Kinder website.
* We are wrapping up our Farm Unit this week. Your children will have their very first video-conference at the end of the week. Very exciting! (How times have changed since we were in Kindergarten?!)
* In math this week we are continuing our lessons and reviews on money and fractions. Don't forget to check out http://www.dovewhisper.com/ for extra practice on these skills. When you go to this website you can click on the grade level and subject. A menu of specific concepts will pop up and you can choose which ones you want your child to practice. All grade levels in Frisco frequently use this site for extra practice. It's a good one!
* Report cards will be coming home next Thursday!
* Permission slips for the upcoming field trip to Fire Safety Town are going home today. Please sign and return as soon as you can. Thanks!
* Our library time has been changed for this week. PTA is setting up for the Book Fair this Thursday during our normal library time. Please send your child's book with them to school in the morning.
Thanks again for all your help at home! The children fell right back into our routine this morning and have been wonderful! Have a super week!
Important Information on Drills here at Spears
Spears Drill Day
March 22, 2010
Dear Parents,
In order to ensure the safety of your child at school, Spears Elementary conducts routine drills of emergency procedures. Each of these drills allows students and teachers the opportunity to learn where they need to go and what they need to do in the event of an actual emergency.
On Wednesday, March 24, we will practice fire, tornado, and lockdown emergency situations. Do not be alarmed if you see these drills in action. Should weather or other unforeseen conflicts prevent our practice that day, we will reschedule the drills
During a fire drill, classes are assigned a designated area outside of the building. Specific arrangements are made to allow emergency equipment to use the driveway areas without endangering students. We have conducted fire drills this year and we will continue to practice and perfect exiting from the building in a timely fashion.
During a tornado drill, classes are assigned designated areas within the building. Students are placed in “duck and cover” position in the safest areas of the building and remain in that area until the alert has passed.
During a lockdown drill, students and teachers remain in the classroom with doors and windows locked. Only the Spears Crisis Management Team is allowed in the hallways. No one is allowed to exit the building and no one is allowed to enter the building. This includes parents. If you are already in the building, you will not be able to exit. If you are outside the building, you will not be allowed to enter. The building will be considered in lockdown mode. Possible lockdown situations include intruders inside or outside the building, medical emergencies for staff and students, and other situations where it is necessary to “freeze” all students and staff simultaneously in the building.
In the event of an actual emergency, parents will be notified as soon as possible and given instructions as to our next course of action. Should Spears ever face the situation of fire, tornado or lockdown, please do not attempt to enter the building and remove your child. This adds to the confusion and may keep key school and emergency personnel from being able to fully perform their duties to ensure the safety of all students and staff.
Thank you for your support. The safety of your child at school is very important to us.
Sincerely,
Dana Solomon
Assistant Principal
Spears Elementary
March 22, 2010
Dear Parents,
In order to ensure the safety of your child at school, Spears Elementary conducts routine drills of emergency procedures. Each of these drills allows students and teachers the opportunity to learn where they need to go and what they need to do in the event of an actual emergency.
On Wednesday, March 24, we will practice fire, tornado, and lockdown emergency situations. Do not be alarmed if you see these drills in action. Should weather or other unforeseen conflicts prevent our practice that day, we will reschedule the drills
During a fire drill, classes are assigned a designated area outside of the building. Specific arrangements are made to allow emergency equipment to use the driveway areas without endangering students. We have conducted fire drills this year and we will continue to practice and perfect exiting from the building in a timely fashion.
During a tornado drill, classes are assigned designated areas within the building. Students are placed in “duck and cover” position in the safest areas of the building and remain in that area until the alert has passed.
During a lockdown drill, students and teachers remain in the classroom with doors and windows locked. Only the Spears Crisis Management Team is allowed in the hallways. No one is allowed to exit the building and no one is allowed to enter the building. This includes parents. If you are already in the building, you will not be able to exit. If you are outside the building, you will not be allowed to enter. The building will be considered in lockdown mode. Possible lockdown situations include intruders inside or outside the building, medical emergencies for staff and students, and other situations where it is necessary to “freeze” all students and staff simultaneously in the building.
In the event of an actual emergency, parents will be notified as soon as possible and given instructions as to our next course of action. Should Spears ever face the situation of fire, tornado or lockdown, please do not attempt to enter the building and remove your child. This adds to the confusion and may keep key school and emergency personnel from being able to fully perform their duties to ensure the safety of all students and staff.
Thank you for your support. The safety of your child at school is very important to us.
Sincerely,
Dana Solomon
Assistant Principal
Spears Elementary
Friday, March 5, 2010
Week of March 1-5
This week we learned the word “said” and started a week long unit on Dr. Seuss! We loved hearing his rhyming words when we were reading his books! We're celebrating his birthday today by watching Horton Hears a Who! this afternoon and having a special snack.
In math, we started learning about fractions. We are focusing mainly on whole and halves but will mention thirds and quarters in our discussions. Check out your child’s fraction pizza they made! Have your child help you divide their sandwich, pizza, laundry, etc. into halves to help them practice!
A fun and quick game we have been playing in math lately is called “I have, I wish I had…” Your children are really enjoying this game so I thought you would love to play it at home or in the car! It is as simple as saying, “I have 5 cupcakes but I wish I had 8 cupcakes” and your child tells you how many more you need to get so that you can have your wish! This is great because it can be different for each student and the possibilities are endless! It doesn’t take very long to play and can be thrown in at any time of the day! Enjoy!
Also, I wanted to go ahead and let everyone know that my husband and I are having our first baby this September! We are so excited! If you haven't been able to tell already my first trimester was a complicated one. I have been extremely sick these past 3 months (not to mention absent-minded!). I'm under doctors orders to slow down and take a few days off work here and there. Also, kindergarten teachers run a high risk of being exposed to all sorts of illnesss and viruses. If your child has any medical condition other than the common cold or seasonal allergies PLEASE let me know ASAP. There are certain viruses (Fifths Disease, Strep, etc.) that I can not be exposed to because they can cause certain complications for me and my pregnancy. THANK YOU for your understanding! I'm going to do my best to get my morning sickness under control so that I can continue to be here with the children and not have to have so many days off.
Once we come back from Spring Break you will begin to notice papers coming home with concepts that look familiar. You will also notice we will be reviewing all Word Wall Words. The last part of kindergarten we spend our time reviewing and reteaching concepts in order to better prepare the children for 1st grade. We will continue with themed units and give them some exposure to new concepts, but our primary focus is FIRST GRADE! This is a very exciting time and it will go by fast!
As always, thank you for all of your support! I look forward to seeing everyone at Open House next week!
Mrs. Dooley
In math, we started learning about fractions. We are focusing mainly on whole and halves but will mention thirds and quarters in our discussions. Check out your child’s fraction pizza they made! Have your child help you divide their sandwich, pizza, laundry, etc. into halves to help them practice!
A fun and quick game we have been playing in math lately is called “I have, I wish I had…” Your children are really enjoying this game so I thought you would love to play it at home or in the car! It is as simple as saying, “I have 5 cupcakes but I wish I had 8 cupcakes” and your child tells you how many more you need to get so that you can have your wish! This is great because it can be different for each student and the possibilities are endless! It doesn’t take very long to play and can be thrown in at any time of the day! Enjoy!
Next week we will begin a two week long unit on Farm Animals. We have been working on some farm projects already in the computer lab and our classroom in preparation for Open House so save the date! Next Thursday, March 11 at 5:45pm. More information coming soon.
Remember (not like anyone could forget!! ) but Spring Break is March 15-19 so school will not be in session that week.Also, I wanted to go ahead and let everyone know that my husband and I are having our first baby this September! We are so excited! If you haven't been able to tell already my first trimester was a complicated one. I have been extremely sick these past 3 months (not to mention absent-minded!). I'm under doctors orders to slow down and take a few days off work here and there. Also, kindergarten teachers run a high risk of being exposed to all sorts of illnesss and viruses. If your child has any medical condition other than the common cold or seasonal allergies PLEASE let me know ASAP. There are certain viruses (Fifths Disease, Strep, etc.) that I can not be exposed to because they can cause certain complications for me and my pregnancy. THANK YOU for your understanding! I'm going to do my best to get my morning sickness under control so that I can continue to be here with the children and not have to have so many days off.
Once we come back from Spring Break you will begin to notice papers coming home with concepts that look familiar. You will also notice we will be reviewing all Word Wall Words. The last part of kindergarten we spend our time reviewing and reteaching concepts in order to better prepare the children for 1st grade. We will continue with themed units and give them some exposure to new concepts, but our primary focus is FIRST GRADE! This is a very exciting time and it will go by fast!
As always, thank you for all of your support! I look forward to seeing everyone at Open House next week!
Mrs. Dooley
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
High Tech High Touch
On Wednesday, March 3rd, the children had an opportunity to experience High Tech High Touch for the first time! This is such a wonderful PTA program we are lucky to have here at Spears! Classes participate in hands-on science experiments. Check out the experiments Science Stan did with the class!
Science Stan
Listening to Science Stan talk about weather words
Ask your child how to make wind!
We're ready to go "fishing" for ice cubes! Ask your child where weather comes from!
Science Stan talked to us about how a tornado is made.
Ask your child about air pressure and suction cups!
Thanks to air pressure and heat we successfully took a hard boiled egg and squeezed it through the lid of a jar! It was amazing!
Science Stan
Listening to Science Stan talk about weather words
Ask your child how to make wind!
We're ready to go "fishing" for ice cubes! Ask your child where weather comes from!
Science Stan talked to us about how a tornado is made.
Ask your child about air pressure and suction cups!
Thanks to air pressure and heat we successfully took a hard boiled egg and squeezed it through the lid of a jar! It was amazing!
Log Cabin Fun!
I wanted to share a project we did a few weeks ago when we celebrated the life and legacy of Abraham Lincoln during the week of President's Day. We had so much fun!
We used craft sticks and shapes to design our own log cabins. When we finished we created a landscape and used a real Abe Lincoln penny to hang in the window.
We're all done and very proud of our work!
This is what the hallway looks like right outside our classroom.
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