Jessica Porter

January Newsletter

Dear Parents, 

Our new year has started off with a bang.  I hope that you all had a nice relaxing holiday break.  It was tough to get back into the routine, but we are moving at full speed now.  This time of year is a very busy and exciting time.  The school year is half over and the children are growing in every way.  Everyday the children are truly amazing me with what they have learned. 

We have excellent readers and writers.  Please continue to encourage your children at home to read and write.  Now is the time of year when the children really like to read to you.  Introducing new and exciting books is a great way to encourage the reading fun.  In math we are focusing on geometry, measurement and beginning to add and subtract.  Your children love the hands on activities that we continue to do in math almost daily.  Edible math is a very popular choice.   In Social Studies and Health we will be discussing dental health, Presidents and the U.S. symbols during the month of February.      

In February we have some very exciting things coming our way.  Groundhog’s Day is the 2^nd and of course the 14^th is Valentine’s Day.  We will be making something for the children to collect their Valentine cards in.  We encourage the children to bring Valentine’s Day cards for their friends.  Please make sure though that if your child brings cards they bring enough for everyone in the class.  We would hate to have hurt feeling.  If you plan to send in Valentine’s also please send them with your child by the 13^th of February.  There is no school on the 18^th and 19^th.  On February 29^th we will be going to see Suessical the Musical. 

Thank you for all of your help, support and wonderful conferences.  I really enjoyed getting to meet with each one of you and discuss what wonderful children you have.  You have all been so wonderful and have made this year so far very pleasant.  I will be sad to see the children go in a few months.  For those next few months we will continue to grow and learn to become bright and strong first graders. 

Thank you,

    Jessica Porter

P.S.  We will be using coins a lot in the coming months in math.  If you could please send in 10 pennies, 2 nickels, 2 dimes and 1 quarter with your child we would really appreciate it. 

Important Dates:

February 6^th Early Release

February 13^th Valentine’s should be brought in by today. 

February 18^th and 19^th No school President’s day and student holiday 

February 29^th Suessical the Musical 

November/December Newsletter

December Newsletter

Dear parents, 

            With the holidays quickly approaching we have been extremely busy.  Your children have been working extra hard to get their work done.  It is an exciting time of the year, but we still have to learn.  Please help remind your child that as much fun as we are having, we still have to remain focused and be on our best behavior.  This month in math we have been working with ordinal number, addition (combining), and comparing numbers using more than, less than.  Each day I am amazed at how well we are progressing. 

            Please continue to read with your child at home.  We have so many readers, and that is truly fantastic.  The children are enjoying reading, and we continue to promote it everyday.  We are building on our reading skills daily.  We are working really hard to retell what we have read and pick out the “key” points of the story.  Writing is another big focus of ours this month, and will continue to be for the rest of the year.  Please encourage your child to write and sound out the words that they are writing.  Thank you in advance for the help that you are giving.   

On Wednesday, December 19^th we will be having our holiday centers/party.  Thank you to all of the wonderful parents who have helped so much with this.  Our party will be from 12-1:15 on Wednesday.  Your children, Mrs. Rich and I would like to invite parents to come during the celebration if you would like.  You children have been working very hard on a special holiday gift for you all and would love to give it to you at that time.  It is something that is breakable and if you could come it may save a lot of tears if something were to happen to the gift.  The children are very excited and proud.  So again, please if you are able to come for fun times, memories and a gift on Wednesday, December 19th between 12:00 and 1:00 we would love to have you.         

            I would like to extend my holiday wishes to all of you.  Please have a wonderful and safe holiday break.  I will see all of you on Tuesday, January 8, 2008.  Thank you all, parents and students, for a wonderful first half of the school year, I have been truly blessed with such great students, parents, and support.  Thank you all. 

      Happy Holidays,

          Jessica Porter 

Important Dates:

December 6^th Nutcracker Field Trip

December 19^th Holiday party 12:00-1:15

December 19^th Parents please come and join us for a present.

December 24 to January 7^th Winter break  Return to School on the 8^th

October Newsletter

October Newsletter

          It is hard to believe that another month has gone by.  We have been so busy learning and growing each day that time just flies, before we know it the holiday season will be here.  I would like to thank all of you for coming to our zoo phonics performance.  The children worked really hard and did a fantastic job with their performance.  We are now working on spelling and writing words.  It amazes me everyday how eager the children are to spell words, sound things out, read and write.  They are really enjoying their phonics time and soaring through.  It won’t be long before we have excellent readers and writers on our hands.  Just please remember to keep reading with your child at home.  That is so important, and I truly believe that before long most of them will be reading to you.  Math has also been an amazing success with the children.  We are really focusing now on estimating and simple math problems.  If you have any items that you would like to send in for our estimating jar that would be greatly appreciated.  The children love seeing what goes in the estimating jar each week. 

          Thank you for all of the help and support you have given us so far this year.  Our center moms, room moms, and parent volunteers are wonderful.  Last week was fantastic with fall centers and the children loved it.  You are the best.  Mystery reader continues to be a huge success and we look forward to it each week.  Thank you to Patti Lee for putting it all together.  Thank you again everyone.  I feel very fortunate to have such a wonderful group of children and parents.  You all make my job the best that there is. 

Thank you again,

                   Jessica Porter

Upcoming Dates:

No School November 5 and 6 Teacher workdays

Tuesday November 13, 2007 we have an in school field trip Polly Pilgrim. 

Thursday November 15, 2007 is our science day. 

November 21-23 Thanksgiving Holiday       

September Newsletter

September Newsletter

Dear Parents,

          What a great month we have had.  We have been very busy learning and preparing new things everyday.  Our big focus this month has been on zoo phonics.  As I am sure most of you know your children are so excited to be putting on a performance for you.  We practice everyday, and the children are doing great.  They are also very excited about dressing up and seeing each others costumes. In math this month we have been focusing a lot on numbers and number words, patterns and sorting.  The children are doing wonderful with these math lessons.  I try to prepare unique lessons so that each child can and will learn and also enjoy learning.  Our zoo phonics has provided a great opportunity for us to learn all about living and nonliving things.  Along with this science unit, we have been discussing self and family. 

          During the month of October we will continue to work on patterns, sorting and numbers in math.  We will be focusing on personal health and hygiene as well as important facts about ourselves in social studies.  The children are beginning to sound out words and spell their own words.  I will continue to encourage this.  The children are very proud of themselves when they learn new words.

          I would really appreciate it if you could please help at home by reading to you child nightly and working on handwriting.  We are still struggling on forming letters and spacing them. Again, we love parent volunteers and classroom support.  Thanks to everyone for all you do both at home and at school.  A special thanks to mystery readers and those to come in the future.  The children and I both love it.            

          Sincerely,   

        Jessica Porter

Important Dates: 

October 19^th is our Zoo Phonics Performance at 8:30

October 17^th is Early Release The children are dismissed at 12:15

Our fall centers will be October 26^th from 12 to 1:15

 

Our pumpkin patch field trip is currently scheduled for October 31^th