HOOT#11

Thank you for being such devoted parents! More than ever, I appreciated your support at our parent-teacher conferences this week!
As you gathered, we are going to be working on reading and writing skills in earnest, and will need your reinforcement at home.

Please consider these questions after the conference and feel free to email me with your thoughts.
What was most meaningful to you/your child during the conference?
What more could I do? 
What more could you do?
How will you use the resource folder you got at the conference?
Are there any additional resources you could use at home?

Volunteers, you are superheroes!
grant writing: Megan
bonnets (for Thanksgiving -- got pattern and fabric): Sirri
Tickles: Don/Erica
reading with small group (early reader books): Megan (?)
Anyone else interested? Please let me know!

Weekly DO's for parents:

Pizza money due tomorrow (Wednesday at 8:30am)
Photo orders are due on Thursday (if you are not doing yours online)
Halloween details for Thursday:
the children will have a party at the end of the day (3:00-3:30) if they earn it working hard tomorrow.
What to bring in the morning:
your child's costume (no weapons, no fangs, no blood, no scary anything)
extra dress-up items to share for the day (this is the day! anything goes!)
finger food (as healthy as you can get away with!)

Behavior guide:
As discussed during the conferences, this is the system that will be in place for behavior needs.
STAY GREEN: children all start each day being "green." First infraction: child goes to "yellow." Second infraction: child goes to "red." Children who get a "red card" will receive an email from me that day.
If a child acquires 3 red cards in a week, there will be a loss of a major class/home privilege (to be discussed with parents) and a conference with Mr Greywolf to follow.
Verbal or physical violence (talking about badly hurting someone, or being physical): immediate phone call home --  parents will be requested to pick up the child within an hour and a home consequence will be discussed.
Positive behavior will be acknowledged using "Star Cards." Children who earn stars will be earning privileges and items from our treasure box.
I will also grant awards for exemplary behavior and academic success.

Homework:
Do Wednesday (Due Thursday): Alphabet practice sheet: PLEASE PICK UP FROM YOUR CHILD'S MAILBOX -- how about starting with 5 minutes?
Hints for letter naming practice:
I suggest that you go first. It is always great for your child to see you modeling the same activity you are asking him/her to do. As you show how him/her how to do this, please use the following tips:
* track with one finger
* say: "SKIP" for the letters that you are not naming (pretending not to know)
* Do not give up!
It's OK if your child is NOT naming all the letters yet (just use the word "skip"). Encourage him/her to stick with the practice and praise her AFTER she/he is done.

Letter pP is the letter of this week. We will continue practicing with it next week as well!
Letter P hints/tips:
How to write it:
Uppercase P starts in upper left corner = It's a cherry letter!
uppercase moves: slide, frog jump, swing to middle=bubble;
lowercase moves: dive, climb, swing, bump
Lowercase rule: keep your pencil/pen on the paper -- do not lift up

Have a fun Halloween!