Kari Wood

End of School

Dear Parents,

          We are busy wrapping up the year. The students are working hard on their stories for the Author’s Tea. The students have decided that they would like to type their stories at school, so that they are a surprise for you. Therefore, the students will NOT have a homework project concerning the Author’s Tea.  Below you will find a list of end-of-the-year events.

                                                                             Mrs. Kari Wood

*** Very Important ***

Please send in a self-addressed stamped legal size envelope by May 23, 2008 in order to receive your child’s report card.   If I do not receive a self-addressed stamped envelope by the end of the year, I will be unable to send your child’s report card home.

**********

* The week of May 5 – May 9 is Teacher Appreciation Week

* Week of May 12 – May 16 is Cultural Arts Week

* Tuesday, May 13:   In school Field Trip (High-Touch High-Tech)

* Tuesday, May 20:   Author’s Tea, 10:05-10:55

(This is a day when we invite you to come hear the students read a story that they have written as part of a class book.   Please return the RSVP letter, so that we know how many to plan for. Please consider coming to support your child on this day and witness how much they have grown.)

* Last week Activities:

• Monday, May 19 – Game Day (Students may bring in a game that 2 or more children can play. Please make sure that their name is on the game.)
• Tuesday, May 20 – Puzzle Day  (Students may bring a puzzle to work with friends on this day. Please make sure that their name is on the puzzle. This is also the day of our Author’s Tea at 10:05)
• Wednesday, May 21 – Wear your PJs and Read Day  (Students will be allowed to wear appropriate pajamas to school and bring a favorite book to read. Please make sure the student’s name is in their book.)
• Thursday, May 22: Pirate Day (Students can dress like a pirate, but NO weapons or anything that resembles a weapon. The students will have a treasure hunt as part of their activities for the day.)
• Friday, May 23:   Last Day of School!!!  (Students are not allowed to take anything home on the bus. If it comes to school with them, it must be in a container that can be thrown away.)

Dear Parents,

          We have some very important events coming up these last few weeks of school.  There will be more information to come about some of the events, but here is a list so that you may prepare.

• Thursday, May 1:   PTSA at 6:30 (Kindergarten performs)
• Friday, May 2: 
  • Last Spirit Day of the year (wear Still Spirit wear)
  • AR End-of-the-Year Rally
  • Still Variety Show – 7 pm at

    Lovinggood

    Middle School

  * The week of May 5 – May 9 is Teacher Appreciation Week

  * Wednesday, May 7:   School Nurse Day

  * Week of May 12 – May 16 is Cultural Arts Week

  * Tuesday, May 13:   In school Field Trip (High-Touch High-Tech)

  * Tuesday, May 20:   Author’s Tea, 10:05-10:55

(This is a day when we invite you to come hear the students read a story that they have written as part of a class book.   In the next week more information will be coming home concerning a homework project and an RSVP letter. Please consider coming to support your child on this day and witness how much they have grown.)

• Thursday, May 22: Pirate Day (more information will be coming home about this day and events for the last week of school.)
• Friday, May 23:   Last Day of School!!! 

*** Also, if you have not returned your registration form for next year and/or pictures or money, PLEASE do so by Friday!!!! ***

Welcome to Spring in Gerogia, where you never know what the weather will be! With Spring here, that means that there are  many things happening around school. We are counting down the days until Spring Break and preparing for the CRCT. Here are important dates and events to keep in mind as we start towards the finishline of the school year.

Spring Break is the week of April 7-11. (Students return on Monday, April 14).

Field Day is Friday, April 18. More details to come...

CRCT is Wednesday, April 23-Friday, April 25!!!!!

Still Variety Show is May 2nd. Auditions are on Wednesday, April 2nd at 2:15-6:00 pm in the Gym. Any questions, please contact Jen Christopherson (jensing@bellsouth.net) or Tina Korzenok (k5family@hotmail.com).

We will have an Author's Tea in May. Look for more details to come...

Last Day of School is Friday, May 23!! Look for special events for the last week.

I hope that everyone is having a wonderful long weekend. I just wanted to let you know of some of the things coming up in the next next week.

* There are NO Spelling Words this week because of the short week. We will resume Spelling Words next week.

* In Math, we are beginning Fractions this week. Please continue practicing/counting money, as this is a very important skill that they need.

* Progress Reports will be going home this week. Please make sure to review them, sign, and return them.

* Author Bettye Stroud will be visiting us this Wednesday, February 20th.

* Forms for the Six Flags 6 Hour Read are due this Friday, February 22nd.

* Cosmic Bowling is this Friday, February 22nd from 6:30-8:30 in the Still Elementary Gym.

Upcoming...

* Next Week - The First Grade will be going to Hillgrove High School for a Performing Arts Field Trip. We will be going to see "Peggy, the Pint Sized Pirate" on Tuesday, February 26th.  Your student will need to wear their class t-shirt.

* Spring Break is coming up soon. We will begin praciting and reviewing for the CRCT coming up in the next few weeks. I hope that everyone received their child's log-in for the practice tests on-line.

We are finishing up our Math Unit on Money this week.  Please continue giving your child practice at home. We will be taking our unit test on Friday, Febraury 15. We will revisit money as we continue through the year.

Class Valentine's are due tomorrow, February 13.

"Have a Heart" Fundraiser continues through February 14. Small hearts are 50 cents and large hearts are $1.00.  All money raised will go to benefit the Cobb County Humane Society.

Friday, February 15 is the school skating party at Sparkles in Hiram from 4:30-7:00 pm.

Please remember that there is NO SCHOOL on Monday and Tuesday of next week due to President's Day and a Teacher Workday. Because of the short week there will be NO Spelling an d Progress Reports will go home on Wednesday.

Author Bettye Stroud will be visiting our school on Wednesday, February 20th.

We are continuing in our Math unit on Money.   Please continue giving your student opportunities to count money at home.   All the experience and practice that they receive is very beneficial. (Especially when "switch" counting and trading coins.

Progress reports are going home for the first time this week along with graded work.   Please sign the report and return it.   The graded work is yours to keep.   There have not been any new reading assessments administered since report cards. Progress Reports will be sent home every 2 weeks.   The grade you will see, will be their current standing, from the beginning of the 9 weeks until the report is sent home.   Any questtions, please contact me.

Please remember that this Wednesday, February 6th is an EARLY RELEASE Day. The studenets will dismiss 2 hours early.  Please remember to make arrangements for your child.

*****IMPORTANT*****IMPORTANT*****

This Thursday night is First Grade's night to sing at the PTSA meeting.   The meeting starts at 6:30 and will be in the Cafeteria.   Below are the things that are needed to make the evening be successful...

• Drop your child at his/her classroom by 6:25
• Students should wear jeans with pockets and their class t-shirt
• Please take your child's coat/jacket with you to the cafeteria (Students will not be able to get back into the classroom after the performance.)

Next Thursday is Valentine's Day. We will have a Valentine Card exchange during snack time. Please make sure that your student writes a Valentine to each of their classmates (we do not want to leave any one out) and has them here by Wednesday. (This will allow me to make sure everyone was able to bring in cards.)   Below you will find a class list.

1. Brooke Almand
2. Ethan Auzenne
3. McKenna Bishop
4. Angel Blanchard
5. Adam Chabaane
6. Taylor Dabney
7. Bethanie Floyd
8. Garrett Flynn
9. Cooper Freeman
10. Joshua Giles
11. Lance Gilmore
12. Christian Jackson
13. Blakelee Jones
14. Adaiah Keith
15. Billy Laws
16. Derek Patton
17. Ethan Rosenberg
18. Christina Shanahan
19. Tyler Silva
20. Kayla Williams
21. Mrs. Wood

Although this has been a short week, it has been a good conference week. Thank you to everyone who I have met with and I have yet to meet with. It is important that we be on the same page in order to help your student be successful.  As I stated in many conferences, beginning the first Monday in February, I will be sending progress reports home every 2 weeks. This will help us to continue to be on the same page and make sure your student is ready for 2nd grade.

We have begun our Math unit on Money. Any practice that they can have at home will be of great value to them. They have to be able to count money to $1.00. This will be our big focus  for the next several weeks. If you have not sent in a baggie with your child's name on it and the following coins (this is to practice with real money). The coins your child needs is:

2-quarters    10-dimes   10-   nickels   10-pennies

Upcoming...

Monday, January 28th is our last day of conferences. We will dismiss at 12:15 (2 hours early). Please make sure to make arrangements for your student.

Tuesday, February 5 we will have a guest author visiting with us. A information sheet went home this week with your student. It was to let you know about the visit and allow you to pre-order the books to be signed.

Wednesday, February 6 is a Early Release Day

Thursday, Febraury 7 is First Grade's Night for PTSA. Please make arrangements to be here. You won't want to miss it!

Although the break seemed too short, it was nice to get back to our routine last week. I hope that everyone had a nice, restful and peaceful break with family and friends. I want to thank those of you who helped with the class party. The students had a wonderful time. Thank you to everyone for my gifts. It was very thoughtful of you to remember me.

We have hit the ground running and even at a faster pace than the first have of the year.  In Math we are continuing to build on our addition and subtraction facts. We are learning more strategies for sovling problems to 20. Please continue to reinforce these skills with your student at home. The next unit that we will begin focusing on is money. The students will need to be able to count coins to $1.00. Any practice that you can give them at home would be extremely helpful to their learning.

Upcoming...

Next Monday is a school holiday. There will be NO school, so please make arrangements for your child. Also, beginning on Tuesday we will start our conference week. The students will dismiss 2hrs. early (dismiss at 12:15) everyday (Tuesday, January 22-Friday, January 25). If you have not returned your conference letter or report card signature card please do so.

The count down has begun until the Winter Break, but there is still a lot of learning going on in the classroom. Please make sure that your student understands that they still need to be busy working and learning. We have lots of Math, Reading, and Writing to work on as we prepare for the break. When we return in January we will be busy until the end of the year. Please help your child be ready for the fast moving pace.

This week we will be learning "visiting" our neighbor to the North - Canada. Next week we will be "visiting" our neighbor to the South - Mexico, and then end our trip here in the USA. Our focus in Math is on Geometric shapes and continuing with Adding and Subtracting.

* We are in need of extra healthy snacks for the classroom.   If you are able to donate to the classroom, it would be greatly appreciated.   Thank you for your help.

*Yearbooks are currently on sale.   They are $25 or $32 if you want it personalized.   Please get those in before the Christmas break.

*This week is the Scholastic Book Fair here in the Still Media Center.  It will be open from 2-6 pm.  Come check out the books and the class wish list!

*Thank you to those of you who have sent in supplies for the Snowman Soup. We are still in need of 8 oz. styrofoam cups. If someone could let me know that they can send those in by Friday, I would greatly appreciate it.

*Please don't forget about the Puzzle Exchange that will be taking place at our holiday party. The puzzle needs to be 100 pieces or less and no more than $3.00. If your child is a boy, buy a boy puzzle and if they are a girl, buy a girl puzzle.  Wrap the puzzle up and write on it wether it is for a boy or a girl. Please have those in by December 14th.

* If you would like to help a Still Family have a nice Christmas, please consider participating in the Still Star Tree program.  Stars are available this week in the Media Center in the mornings. If you would like your child to bring home a Star, send in a note saying that they may participate. If you have any questions, please contact Pat Young (678-594-8290).

* Tuesday, December 11 is Still Family Science Night. Come participate in some hands-on Science from 6:30-8:00pm.

This Friday is Spirit day! Please have your student wear their class shirt or any other Still Spirit Wear.

Welcome Back from Thanksgiving! I hope that everyone had a wonderful time with family and friends. With a little less than 4 weeks until our next break, we will be very busy. This week your student is learning about number patterns in Math. We will be taking the test on this chapter at the end of the week (Friday). Our next chapters will cover more adding and subtracting facts and strategies.

Today your student is bringing home a copy of their AR progress. This shows you the tests that they have taken and how they have done on those tests. These represent  tests up to this morning. You might find some scores circled in orange. This is to mark the tests that your child did not pass. Also, you might find a score highlighted in orange. This is their AR average and it is highlighted if it is below 80%. The students are doing well and they are growing in their reading abilities. Please continue to encourage them and read with them.

A letter is being sent home today about the puzzle exchange for our holiday party. If you have any questions, please contact me. More information will be going home about the holiday party from myself or Rene' Laws (Room Mom) in the next couple of weeks.

We need your help with a First Grade Project.   Each year we make Snowman Soup to be taken to the hospital for those that find themselves in the emergency room during the holidays.   Listed below are the supplies that we need in order for our class to be able to participate.

o       8oz. Styrofoam cups (at least 20 and if possible that have snowmen on them)

o       2 boxes of individual hot chocolate packets

o       2 boxes of individual wrapped white mini-marshmallows

o       Package of cute snowman Cello party bags

o       20-24 candy canes

If you are able to help with this project, please let me know and send in the items by December 7^th. 

* We are in need of extra healthy snacks for the classroom.   If you are able to donate to the classroom, it would be greatly appreciated.   Thank you for your help.

*Yearbooks are currently on sale.   They are $25 or $32 if you want it personalized.   Please get those in before the Christmas break.

*This week there is a BookFair at Barnes & Noble at the Avenues. Saturday is Still's special day there. Your child brought home a flyer yesterday about the events that will happen this Saturday. Join Ms. Smith for storytime or hear the chorus sing as you shop.

*Next week is the Scholastic Book Fair here in the Still Media Center.  It will be open from 2-6 pm. Your child brought hame a flyer about this yesterday. Come check out the books and the class wish list!