Homework
Please review address, phone number and safety info with your students.
Students can make a map of the area around their house.
Big Word: l a o r y s e m s s t
Students will have a math game to bring home to play. (Not Ks)
Sleep Over
Please fill out a criminal history form and turn it into the blue forms box on the entryway shelf. We will be starting the sleepover at 6:00 with a stargazing party at 8:30 if the clouds clear for us. Also, for students not staying the night they should be picked up or taken home between 8:30 and 9:00
K-1-2 Newsletter
There is a new newsletter in your folders. These will be published about once a month and provide some input into our curriculum plans for the upcoming weeks. It has a calendar of upcoming events and some quotes from the All About Me posters.
Nutrition and Snack
Nutrition is an important part of learning that is sometimes overlooked. We at Trillium, with our new lunch program and our focus on healthy snacks, pride ourselves on creating an environment where healthy eating habits are encouraged and celebrated. Please make sure that you are sending non sugary snacks for your students during the school day. We provide a healthy snack everyday as part of your activity fee. Unfortunately we budget about $400 for those snacks which is about half of what we need. Nephyr, Django's mom, and I work together to ensure snack is sufficient and healthy for the kids.
That said our classroom needs to supplement the activity fee funds in order to avoid the crummy bulk snacks available in the big box stores. If you can contribute to the snack fund I would encourage you to do so as we will need to raise nearly $400 to cover all costs. The snack fund folder is located on the window next to the door and any donations are helpful. The folder will remain up the entire year or until we feel we have met our necessary funding level. It may be great to think of a fundraiser that the kids can help with to raise the extra money. Maybe a Christmas time bowl-a-thon. Let me know if you would be willing to help with this.
Volunteers
I would love more volunteer help in the classroom if you have time available. It is best if you can commit to a specific time each week or to a specific job within the community. Let me know what type of time and committment you have and I am sure that I could find a meaningful role for you. Here are some examples.
Reading group leader
Scholastic book club organizer
Lunch help
Paper sorter and copier
Chaperones and drivers
etc.
Wish List
I don't have much on the wish list yet but here are a few.
CD walkmans
hot glue sticks
Thanks!
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Friday, September 19, 2008
Parent Night Notes
Greetings to everyone!
Here is an overview of topics discussed at the Wednesday, September 18 K-1-2 Parent Meeting:
Sleep Over/Space Out
Sept. 25th
Begins at 6:00PM with a potluck for all K-1-2 students! Sign up sheets for the potluck will be posted outside of the classrooms. Parents are welcome to join in the fun and chaperone event or if your kid wants some ME time that's cool too. There will be different activities in the rooms for your child to choose from or a movie in the multipurpose room. Bedtime or go home time is 8:30PM. Breakfast will be served in the morning for those students who opt to stay the night. If you plan on chaperoning or spending the night you must first fill out a criminal background check. Check with your child's teacher, if you have not filled one out already.
Jen a Naturopath and Trillium parent offered up her services to advise on nutrition and food intolerances. She passed out a hand out on nutritious lunchbox food.
A brief explanation of curriculum...
1. Everyday the children will have a class meeting.
2. Math and literacy menus
First and second graders have this time with Billy, Brian, or Beth.
Kinders have time with Whitney where they explore reading and math basics as well as art, music and garden.
3. Theme
The current theme is Space(hence the Sleepover and Spaceout). The theme changes throughout the year and is the subject of the 2 performance nights in December and May.
4. Reading Workshop
The first and second graders have this everyday after read aloud time. It is 30 to 45 minutes of time that they read to themselves, with each other, with a teacher or in a group. A time to learn to love books and to learn how to pick out books that are just right for their level current reading level.
5. Electives
These are classes that the kids get to choose themselves. Like dance or West African drumming, etc. The idea is that the younger and older kids will begin to be more integrated in some of these electives so that there is a more First thru 12th grade experience. Ask your child about their choice.
Communication
1. Liassons: these are parents who offer their time to attend TFT meetings, assist in teacher to parent communication, or help to coordinate social function within the individual classrooms. Basically, liassons try to support the teachers.
2. Emails and Blogs
In the upcoming newsletter their will be instructions on how to get set up on the Trillium listserve. This is a handy function as it offers a way to communicate with the school as a whole.
Soon all the K-1-2 teachers will have a blog, this is a great way to check in and see what's going on, if there's any homework for the week, or event details.
3. Go Home Files
Be sure to check these often! Located outside the classrooms, these are another way to further communication. This is how many things get sent home for the students: thematic homework, school newsletters or paperwork, even the occasioanal correspondance from Portland Public Schools.
Volunteer Opportunities
1. Reading Group
2. E Portfolio
All the students of Trillium will eventually have an online portfolio of their work. The younger ones will need help setting these up, ie taking pictures of their work and projects and uploading them to the web and reflection and typing up entries.
3. Copying!!!!
4. Drivers and Chaperones for field trips.
5. Taking dictation for student stories.
If any of these things are something you'd be willing to volunteer time for, talk to your child's respective advisor for details.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
First Week Fun
Hello families and friends,
The first week of the school year is in the books and what a great week it was. Never before have I felt as energized heading into a school year and this week our little learners set a high standard for themselves. Students were engaged in the process of learning and getting to know their community. We created self portraits, sketched one of our favorite parks, held our first class meeting and started to discover and re-discover the mediation process. If only all the weeks could go this smoothly.
Homework
Remember, homework is always optional, but it is important. I don't want to force home battles about it but instead aim to make it fun and relevent to our learning.
1) Finish your All About Me Posters so we can get to know you more.
2) Have students write their full name, address, and phone number. Please review this information with your students. It is important information for them to know.
SHARING: On Friday students can bring in a special rock that they have found or received.
CLASS PICNIC
Our first class gathering will be this weekend at Blue Lake Park. We will be having a potluck picnic in the park and everyone should bring a dish to pass. there is more information outside the room. The picnic will be on Saturday, September 20 from 10-1. If anyone has a badmitten set, crochet, volleyball net or a good solid kickball then please let me know so we can plan. It would be great to get a little old fashioned ball playing.
THEME - Space
This week we designed our rockets to blast off to outer space and this week we will be starting our journey through time and space. As we travel through the solar system we will begin to explore the unique qualities of the planets it encompasses including our own home, Earth. We will be taking a look at the sun and what power it provides for our planet and how it affects everything in the solar system. Start talking to your kids about projects they may want to do for the theme. We will have a project option during each theme this year and space presents a lot of opportunities for us to get off to a great start.
Sleep Over Spaceout
Our first big event of the year will be on Thursday, September 25th at 5:30 pm. Parents are encouraged to chaperone this event but it is not a requirement for attendance. The students will be involved in games and activities encompassing our Space thematic unit. We will also have a movie option that will be space related. If any parents have an issue with this just see me so that we can make arrangements. Students will sleep at the school and wake up to have breakfast. The other students in the school will be on campouts and we should have the whole building to ourselves on that Thursday and Friday. It should be a really awesome experience for the kids.
Business
All of you should have received a class schedule. If you didn't then just ask me and I will get you a copy. Many of you have turned in all your forms. Thank you. Many of you signed up to drive but we still are missing insurance information from most. If you have this you can copy it at the school and turn it into the forms box on top of the entryway shelf. I would also like to thank everyone for really making an effort to take kids stuff home. If anything is in their blue or red bins it can go home. Their drawers are for mostly unfinished work and student organization like journals and folders. Please help your kids keep their drawers organized by picking a day of the week to go through and clean out work that won't be completed. This helps the students stay focused on things they should be completing. Thanks.
Class Meeting
Our first class meeting was short but good. I could tell some of the new students were learning what the meeting is all about. Class meeting is a way for students to use the democratic process to make their learning environment work for them. The first proposal was brought to the group by yours truly.
Proposal: I propose that we keep stickers on our book boxes and every session of reading workshop that students who do the "work" of reading will receive a sticker on their box. Every 10 stickers allows for a day off during reading workshop time. Passes 11-6
The work of reading is defined as reading a book at or close to the student's level and trying to work through the text. We have older student helpers and myself to assist students during this time and they can read in partners if need be.
Conflict Resolution
Over the next few weeks we will continue to focus efforts on Trillium's conflict resolution mode. This will mostly entail the use of mediation and other structures within the community. We will be developing a strong community by helping kids work with a wide range of classmates on different activities to build kinship in the community. I encourage you to ask your students about mediation and ask them if they worked or played with anyone new that day.
Pictures
I will be posting pictures as soon as I find an acceptable host. If anyone has experience with good sites please let me know.
The first week of the school year is in the books and what a great week it was. Never before have I felt as energized heading into a school year and this week our little learners set a high standard for themselves. Students were engaged in the process of learning and getting to know their community. We created self portraits, sketched one of our favorite parks, held our first class meeting and started to discover and re-discover the mediation process. If only all the weeks could go this smoothly.
Homework
Remember, homework is always optional, but it is important. I don't want to force home battles about it but instead aim to make it fun and relevent to our learning.
1) Finish your All About Me Posters so we can get to know you more.
2) Have students write their full name, address, and phone number. Please review this information with your students. It is important information for them to know.
SHARING: On Friday students can bring in a special rock that they have found or received.
CLASS PICNIC
Our first class gathering will be this weekend at Blue Lake Park. We will be having a potluck picnic in the park and everyone should bring a dish to pass. there is more information outside the room. The picnic will be on Saturday, September 20 from 10-1. If anyone has a badmitten set, crochet, volleyball net or a good solid kickball then please let me know so we can plan. It would be great to get a little old fashioned ball playing.
THEME - Space
This week we designed our rockets to blast off to outer space and this week we will be starting our journey through time and space. As we travel through the solar system we will begin to explore the unique qualities of the planets it encompasses including our own home, Earth. We will be taking a look at the sun and what power it provides for our planet and how it affects everything in the solar system. Start talking to your kids about projects they may want to do for the theme. We will have a project option during each theme this year and space presents a lot of opportunities for us to get off to a great start.
Sleep Over Spaceout
Our first big event of the year will be on Thursday, September 25th at 5:30 pm. Parents are encouraged to chaperone this event but it is not a requirement for attendance. The students will be involved in games and activities encompassing our Space thematic unit. We will also have a movie option that will be space related. If any parents have an issue with this just see me so that we can make arrangements. Students will sleep at the school and wake up to have breakfast. The other students in the school will be on campouts and we should have the whole building to ourselves on that Thursday and Friday. It should be a really awesome experience for the kids.
Business
All of you should have received a class schedule. If you didn't then just ask me and I will get you a copy. Many of you have turned in all your forms. Thank you. Many of you signed up to drive but we still are missing insurance information from most. If you have this you can copy it at the school and turn it into the forms box on top of the entryway shelf. I would also like to thank everyone for really making an effort to take kids stuff home. If anything is in their blue or red bins it can go home. Their drawers are for mostly unfinished work and student organization like journals and folders. Please help your kids keep their drawers organized by picking a day of the week to go through and clean out work that won't be completed. This helps the students stay focused on things they should be completing. Thanks.
Class Meeting
Our first class meeting was short but good. I could tell some of the new students were learning what the meeting is all about. Class meeting is a way for students to use the democratic process to make their learning environment work for them. The first proposal was brought to the group by yours truly.
Proposal: I propose that we keep stickers on our book boxes and every session of reading workshop that students who do the "work" of reading will receive a sticker on their box. Every 10 stickers allows for a day off during reading workshop time. Passes 11-6
The work of reading is defined as reading a book at or close to the student's level and trying to work through the text. We have older student helpers and myself to assist students during this time and they can read in partners if need be.
Conflict Resolution
Over the next few weeks we will continue to focus efforts on Trillium's conflict resolution mode. This will mostly entail the use of mediation and other structures within the community. We will be developing a strong community by helping kids work with a wide range of classmates on different activities to build kinship in the community. I encourage you to ask your students about mediation and ask them if they worked or played with anyone new that day.
Pictures
I will be posting pictures as soon as I find an acceptable host. If anyone has experience with good sites please let me know.
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