Mrs. Newton's Preschool Class

2012-01-21T18:59:00.002-06:00

Week of 1/23 - 1/27/12

This week is one of my favorites: Chinese New Year! I just love all the traditions surrounding this Asian holiday. It is all about getting a fresh start for the New Year. We will make fireworks paintings in Art, play with red blocks and dragons in Blocks (it's the Year of the Dragon), and get ready for the New Year by sweeping and cleaning in the kitchen, putting gold coins in red envelopes, and getting hair cuts at the beauty shop. We will also learn about the letter J, practice writing numerals 1 and 2, and in Religion we will learn how families welcome visitors like Jesus had many visitors after he was born.

Friday, January 27 - Happy 100th Day of School!
January 30 - February 3 - Catholic Schools Week

We will be having a small party to celebrate the 100th Day of School on Friday, 1/27, at 9:00 am in our classroom. We will be making crowns, changing our counting caterpillar into a butterfly, and eating a special treat. If your child comes on T-Th, you are welcome to bring them to the party. It should last about an hour.

Thank you to all the families for sending snacks for our class!

2012-01-16T10:30:00.003-06:00

Week of 1/17 - 1/20/2012

This week in preschool we will be learning all about Nursery Rhymes. We will act out nursery rhymes, make Humpty Dumpty in Art, play Hickory Dickory Dock in Blocks, look for Three Blind Mice in the Sensory Table, put Jack Be Nimble's candles in graduated order, and hunt for Little Bo Peep's lost sheep. We will learn about the letter S. In Religion we will discover that new babies are gifts from God, like baby Jesus was. We will learn that we were all babies at one time and became part of a family.

Wednesday, January 18 - Pizza lunch day - please send money for your child if you have not already done so.

If possible, please send a baby picture of your child for him/her to share with the class. Since we are talking about babies in Religion this week, it will be fun to see how we looked as babies and how we have all grown and changed. Thank you!

2012-01-08T13:14:00.002-06:00

Week of 1/9 - 1/13/12

We are gearing up for our Winter Wonderland theme week in Preschool, although the weather outside has NOT been frightful :) We will make snowy day pictures in Art, play with ice blocks and arctic animals in Blocks, search for white things hidden in packing peanuts in the Sensory Table, pretend to sled and ice fish in Dramatic Play, learn about the letter G, have an indoor snow storm, learn about different types of penguins, learn about what priests do and hear some Bible stories in Religion.

Monday, January 16 - No School - MLK Jr. Day
Wednesday, January 18 - Pizza lunch day - Please return order forms by this Wednesday, 1/11

Don't forget to sign up your child for school next year at SPX. Call the school office to get them on the list.

2012-01-02T12:56:00.003-06:00

Week of 1/4 - 1/6/12

This week our theme is Manners. We will brush up on learning about good manners and good behavior. This should be a great time to review this after our long break from school :) We will make placemats, make pretend bean soup, pretend to work at and visit a restaurant, review our letters, and hear the story of the Magi. We will learn that we honor Jesus when we are kind to others.

Monday, January 16 - No School - MLK Jr. Day

Don't forget to sign up your child for next school year at SPX! If your child will be going onto kindergarten, please call the school office to put your child's name on the kindergarten list. If your child will be coming back to preschool, please call the school office to put your child's name on the preschool list for next year.

Welcome to Mrs. Alli Adams, our newest teacher's aide! Mrs. Adams will be working Tuesdays and Fridays. Mrs. Lisa Bierig will continue working Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.

2011-12-17T14:02:00.003-06:00

Terrific T-Th Gang

Magnificent M-W-F Kids

Gosh, they are cute! I thought it was time for some class pictures. Hope you like them. (You all know how challenging it can be to get 3's and 4's to be in sync for a picture but I think we did very well.)

This week we have school for two days. I am sure that it will be very lively as the excitement is building all the time. We will basically be continuing the same things as last week and our theme is still Advent/Christmas. We will have a party on Monday with our 6th grade buddies at 9:30 am. On Tuesday we will have a party in our classroom at 1:30. Parents are welcome to come to the Tuesday party.

I hope that everyone has a wonderful Christmas. Thank you so much for sharing your children with me! They are precious gifts.

2011-12-11T13:03:00.002-06:00

Week of 12/12 - 12/15/11

Our theme this week is Advent/Christmas. We will make gifts for our parents and a class Christmas tree, sort red and green items in green sand, decorate for Christmas, pretend to build toys in a workshop, review our letters, learn about the shepherd's visit to baby Jesus, learn about the legend of the candy cane, and sing Christmas songs.

We are still collecting cranberry sauce through Dec. 14. Thank you for your generosity!

This year we will have two Christmas parties. On Monday, December 19, we will have a party with our 6th grade buddies where we will make sugar cone Christmas trees and have fellowship and play time together. On Tuesday, December 20, we will have a party at 1:30 pm. We will make a small craft and a special Christmas treat to eat. Parents are welcome to come to the Tuesday party, however, the Monday party will be too crowded for extra guests as we will have a large group of 6th graders in our room with us. I hope that this will help every preschooler to feel included, regardless of which days you attend school. In the past we have had only one party and sometimes it was hard for parents to get their children to school when it was not their regular day to come. Please let me know if you have any questions!

2011-12-04T16:35:00.003-06:00

Week of 12/5 - 12/9/11

Our theme this week is Castles and Fairy Tales. We will make castle paintings, experiment with the gear set, search for the queen's jewels in sand, have tea in our pretend castle, listen to some classic fairy tale stories, learn about the letter Q, and learn that Jesus was the most special baby ever born.

SPX is collecting food for the Christian Ministers Alliance. Preschoolers are asked to donate cranberry sauce.

Welcome to our new student, Gabrielle! She will be coming on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

2011-11-21T21:49:00.002-06:00

Week of 11/28 - 12/2/11

Yes, I am blogging early this week in preparation for the holiday weekend! Next week we will be learning about Weather/Seasons. We will make a Weather Through the Seasons Book, make raindrops with eye droppers, play with a "rain storm" in the sensory table, search for numerals 0-5, learn about clouds and storms, learn about the letter O, and begin learning about Advent.

Thursday, December 1 - Wear your favorite college colors if you turned in box tops for the Bedlam Battle.
December 7 -14 - SPX will be collecting food for the Christian Ministers Alliance. Preschoolers are asked to donate cranberry sauce.

If you use up any wrapping paper this Christmas season and would like to donate the long paper tube, I would love to have it!

2011-11-20T14:04:00.002-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving!

This week in Preschool we will make turkey handprints, pretend to make pumpkin pies and muffins, examine different types of feathers, play with brick blocks, learn about the first Thanksgiving and current traditions, and discover that we give thanks for God for all of our blessings.

Thanksgiving Break - No School November 23 - 25

Mrs. Lisa Bierig is now our teacher's aide on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday mornings. Miss Katie Liotta will be our other teacher's aide through December, and she will work Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday afternoons, and all day Tuesday and Friday. The kids and I are so excited to have them both in our room!

Thank you for the donations of copy paper for our school.

2011-11-13T21:39:00.005-06:00

As you can see, Fire Safety Week was a big hit! We now move on to another fun theme, PETS, for the week of 11/14 - 11/18/11. We will make fish bowl pictures in Art, learn about the care and feeding of pets, share pictures of our own pets, build dog houses in Blocks, play with birdseed in the Sensory Table, pretend to work at a pet hospital in Dramatic Play, sort animals by habitat, and learn about the letter C. In Religion we will learn about caring for ourselves, God's most special creation.

Tuesday, Nov. 15 - Picture Retakes
Thanksgiving Break - Nov. 23 -25 -No School

If you would like to send a picture of your family's pet(s), we would love to see it!
Please help your child decorate the turkey feather that will be sent home on Monday and Tuesday.

2011-11-06T22:11:00.003-06:00

Wearing our Saint crowns

Scenes from the Pumpkin Patch

Sorry for the late blog post. I was having some technical difficulties getting pictures downloaded. Luckily tech support was able to help (aka Mr. Newton!)

This week, November 7 - 11, we will be learning about Fire Safety. We will be making fire trucks in Art, playing with Rescue Heroes in Blocks, playing with emergency vehicles in sand in the Sensory Table, and pretending to be fire fighters in Dramatic Play. At group time this week, we will learn some basics about fire safety like Stop, Drop, and Roll, staying away from hot things, what fire fighters wear and why, and that fire needs air to burn. We will learn about the letter U and continue our writing practice in our notebooks. In Religion we will learn that God made people special.

Monday and Tuesday are vision screening days. Wednesday is Pizza Day so please send money for your child if you have not already done so. Next Tuesday (11/15) is Picture Retakes.

We have two new students on Monday-Wednesday-Friday, Tony Scardino and Jamison Edge. We are so excited to have them!

2011-10-30T21:38:00.002-05:00

Week of 10/31 - 11/4/11

THEME: AUTUMN LEAVES

We will make paper bag leaves in art, observe how objects sink or float, play a math game to create a fall tree, play in leaves in the sensory table, learn about all the seasonal changes of fall, and learn about the letter I. In religion we will learn about All Saints Day.

Friday, November 4 - Speech and Hearing Screenings - return consent form if you would like your child to be screened.

Wednesday, November 9 - Pizza Lunch Day - please return your order forms.

Monday, October 31 will be Mrs. Glover's last day to work in our class. We will really miss her! Mrs. Lisa Bierig will begin helping in our room in November on a part-time basis.

Thanks to all who helped with/attended the Fall Festival.

Please replenish your child's extra clothes if needed and switch out shorts for pants if applicable. Thanks!

2011-10-24T06:40:00.002-05:00

Week of 10/24 - 10/28/11

Theme: HALLOWEEN

This week in Preschool we will make footprint ghosts and Halloween lanterns in Art, put together a skeleton following an example, pretend to have a Halloween party in Dramatic Play, make Halloween "cookies" with play dough, learn about the Letter T, and learn that we are called to take care of God's creations in Religion.

Tuesday, October 25 - Spirit Dress if you donated cereal
Saturday, October 29 - Fall Festival - 6:00 - 9:00 pm

Please return the consent form if you would like your child to have the speech and hearing screening done on Friday, November 4.

Thank you for all of your generous snack donations!

Monday, October 31 will be Mrs. Glover's last day to work in our class. We will really miss her! Mrs. Lisa Bierig will begin helping in our room in November on a part-time basis.

2011-10-17T08:09:00.002-05:00

Week of 10/18 - 10/21/11

Theme: PUMPKINS

This week in Preschool we will make painted pumpkins in Art, learn about the life cycle of a pumpkin, visit a pumpkin patch in Dramatic Play, examine the inside and outside of a pumpkin, learn pumpkin poems and songs, and learn about the letter H. In Religion we will discover that God made the world.

Tues - Fri of this week: Bring in one box of cereal per family for National Food Bank Week. Then next Tues, Oct. 25 is a Spirit Dress Day for those who donated cereal.

Fall Festival is coming on Sat, Oct. 29, 6:00-9:00 pm. We need parent volunteers to work in our class game booth. Please sign up with Mrs. Kateri Adams. Thank you so much for your help with this fun family night!

2011-10-06T17:55:00.004-05:00

We sure had fun shucking corn during Farm week! I am actually posting early this time. This is a first for me. Next week, 10/10 - 10/14/11, our theme will be BEARS. We will make circle and patchwork bears in Art, sort teddy bears brought from home, learn about hibernation, hear the story of The Three Bears, have a teddy bear picnic in Dramatic Play, and rescue bears in life boats (bowls) in our Sensory Table. We will learn all about our first vowel, the letter E. In Religion we will learn how our families care for us just like the Good Shepherd cares for His sheep.

Wed. 10/12 - Picture Retakes have been postponed - Pizza Lunch Day- Send money for your child if you have not already done so

Fri. 10/14 - No School - Diocesan Inservice

Mon. 10/17 - No School - Fall Break

***Your child may bring a favorite teddy bear from home on Wednesday and/or Thursday. We will be sorting them by size and color. We will let them "hibernate" at nap time in our class bear cave.

2011-10-02T12:52:00.002-05:00

Week of 10/3 - 10/7/11

Our theme this week is Fun on the Farm. We will make a farm animal a day in Art: Circle Sheep, Spotted Cows, Yarn Horses, Torn Paper Pigs, and Footprint Baby Chicks. We will learn how corn grows and about the many foods that come from corn. We will pretend to harvest vegetables in Dramatic Play and will play with wheat and farm animals in the Sensory Table. We will learn about the letter F. In Religion we will hear the Bible Story, "A Good Shepherd Cares for His Sheep."

Tuesday, 10/4 - Free Dress if you donated to the coin drive
Wednesday, 10/12 - Picture Retakes/8th Grade Pizza Lunch Fundraiser
Friday, 10/14 - No School - Diocesan Inservice
Monday, 10/17 - No School - Fall Break

2011-09-25T13:24:00.003-05:00

Colorful Kids!

Aren't these the cutest little crayons you've ever seen? We had a lot of fun learning about colors the past two weeks.

This week (9/26 - 9/30/11) we will learn about APPLES. We will make apple trees in Art, pretend to make apple pies in the Sensory Table, taste different types of apples and make a class graph as a Math activity. For Science we will learn how lemon juice helps to preserve apples. We will play apple games and hear apple stories. We will learn about the letter L and begin our handwriting program activities. In Religion we will learn that we each have a special name and that God made us all special and unique.

Wed. 9/28 - Flu Shot Clinic - See Wednesday Packet for more information.

Tues. 10/4 - Free Dress if you contributed to the coin drive.

2011-09-18T12:43:00.002-05:00

Week of 9/19 - 9/23/11

This week in Preschool we will finish our COLORS and complete our color books. We will celebrate at the end of the week by making crayon hats, marching and singing, and eating rainbow cupcakes! We will sort fruit loops on pipe cleaners, participate in a color diffusion experiment, and review some basics of our handwriting program to prepare for learning our first letter next week. In Religion we will learn that Jesus is our good shepherd.

Tues. 9/20 - Picture Day - Wear uniform - M-W-F kids may meet us in the Parish Hall at 8:45 am.
Thurs. 9/22 - Spirit Dress (SPX t-shirt and jeans or shorts)
Book Fair all week in the Middle School Library.

Thank you for sending kleenex for our room. SPX will be collecting change for the St. Francis of Assisi Tuition Fund 9/14 - 9/23. If your child contributes, they may wear free dress on Oct. 4. Thank you for attending our Parent Teacher Conferences. I enjoyed meeting with you about your wonderful children!

2011-09-11T17:57:00.002-05:00

Week of 9/12 - 9/15/11

We will celebrate COLORS for the next two weeks of Preschool, emphasizing a different color each day with some fun culminating activities at the end of next week. We will make a class rainbow and paint in art, mix colors as a science experiment, sort by color, play in a pretend paint store, and in Religion we will learn all about Noah's Ark and God's sign of the rainbow. We will learn about the Olympics as a Greek Week activity and will try some Greek food on Wednesday.

Wed., 9/14 - Pizza Day, send money for your child if you have not already done so.
Thurs., 9/15 - PTC - After School.
Fri., 9/16 - PTC - No School.

School Pictures have been moved to Tues., 9/20.
Spirit Dress - Thurs., 9/22.

Thank you for sending kleenex for our classroom!

SPX will be collecting change for the St. Francis of Assisi Tuition Fund 9/14 - 9/23.

I made a separate post with pictures from last week. Go to older posts and check them out!

Shaving Cream Fun!

2011-09-11T17:52:00.008-05:00

2011-09-05T10:23:00.002-05:00

Week of 9/6 - 9/9/11

THEME: SHAPES

This week in Preschool we will make a shape book in Art, make shapes from shaving cream and playdough, search for shapes in the Sensory Table, pretend to work at and visit the beauty shop in Dramatic Play, learn some shape songs and play some shape games. In Religion we will hear the story of "My Teacher Welcomes Me," like Jesus welcomed the children in our Bible story last week.

Pizza order forms are due Friday, 9/9.

Wednesday, 9/14 is Pizza Lunch Day and School Picture Day (wear uniform.) T-Th kids may come to get pictures taken. We will let you know the time as soon as we get the information.

Parent Teacher Conferences are Thursday, 9/15 after school and Friday, 9/16 - No School.

Ice cream days are Thursdays and Fridays. Cost is 75 cents. You may also purchase a $15 punch card.

If anyone would like to donate a box of kleenex for our classroom, it would be most appreciated! We inadvertently left this off the supply list.

2011-08-28T21:58:00.009-05:00

Fun with food faces!

This week in Preschool our theme is MY FAMILY. We will make family trees, make "alphabet soup," make a class graph of family size, make Mat Man with our wood pieces, and share items found on our family scavenger hunt. We will play with the doll house, the gear set, legos, and beads. We will start our formal religion program and hear the story, "Let the Children Come to Me." - Don't forget Back to School Night, Mon. 8/29 at 6:00 pm, and No School on Labor Day, Mon. Sept. 5.

2011-08-21T12:45:00.002-05:00

Week of 8/22 - 8/26/11

THEME: ALL ABOUT ME/MAKING NEW FRIENDS

This week in Preschool we will continue getting to know each other and getting used to our routines. We will make posters about ourselves in Art, which will be displayed in the classroom next week at Back to School Night. We will measure height and weight so that we can see how much we've grown by the end of the school year. We will make a fun "food face" snack with healthy foods. We will work on learning to recognize our names in print. The wood pieces used to form letters in our handwriting program will be introduced. In Religion we will continue to practice Catholic prayers and making the sign of the cross. We will be introduced to our Religion friends who we will learn about in stories throughout the year.

Tuesday, August 23 - Spirit Dress/Spirit Night Pool Party at LaFortune Park
Monday, August 29 - Back to School Night, 6:00 pm , beginning in the gym. Parents only, please!

Our P.E. days will be Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Please send your child in tennis shoes every Tues. and Wed.

Please keep our teacher's aide, Mrs. Glover, in your prayers. Her father-in-law, Mike Glover, passed away Friday, August 19.

2011-08-15T22:07:00.002-05:00

Well, it's that time of year again! I'm so excited for school to start, although my enthusiasm might not be shining through in this picture :). I promise to upload much better pics throughout the year of all of the precious preschoolers!

Our theme for Preschool this week is "MY NEW SCHOOL." We will be getting to know each other, our classroom, some of the faculty, and parts of the campus. We will play some fun games, learn a few songs, learn about the rules of our room and the playground, and begin to learn that we are a Catholic school and are fortunate to be able to learn about God every day.

We will begin to learn about our schedule and routines which, as you probably well know, kids this age just love. We will do some painting to create a class bulletin board and we will have lots of great manipulatives out to play with and explore.

Don't forget this coming Saturday, August 20 is the SPX Feast Day Celebration after 5:00 Mass. And Back to School Night will soon be here on Monday, August 29 at 6:00, beginning in the church.

Thank you for sharing your beautiful children with me. It's going to be an awesome year in Preschool!

2011-05-22T10:06:00.002-05:00

LAST WEEK OF SCHOOL!

Can you believe it? This has been a wonderful year and I have thoroughly enjoyed teaching and getting to know your children. They are an awesome group and we have had so much fun together. We have also learned a lot from each other.

This week is called the Best of Preschool. We will be doing some of our favorite things such as playing with the knights and big castle, playing with the beauty shop and babies, playing with bears and the bear cave. We will review all of our letters and talk about how letters are put together to make words. We will finish the last chapter page from our Religion book. We will finish our keepsake books and growth inventories.

Wednesday, May 25 - Super Kids Day! Spirit Dress. You do NOT need to send money for snacks for your child that day. We will not be purchasing items from the concession stand but we will have our own special snack.
Thursday, May 26 - Last Day of School!

2011-05-15T08:27:00.003-05:00

Our theme in Preschool this week is Birthdays. We will be making birthday collages and working on our end-of-the-year keepsake books in Art. We will have pretend birthday parties in Dramatic Play, make playdough birthday cakes, and play with confetti in the sensory table. We will also be playing with the gear set, unifix cubes, and Little People this week. We will learn about our last letter, the letter Z! In Religion we will learn that David often sang his prayers and we can, too.

Don't forget that Tuesday, May 17 is our party day, from 9:00 - 12:00. All preschoolers and parents are welcome to come and enjoy the outside activities. Your child may wear spirit dress that day.

I will be gone on Friday, May 20, and Mrs. Glover will be covering the class.

2011-05-08T19:17:00.002-05:00

This week in Preschool we will be learning about Insects and Spiders. We will make Busy Bees in Art, learn about the life cycle of a butterfly and the coloring of butterflies and moths, learn about the differences between insects and spiders, learn about the letter Y, and play a letter recognition bug swatting game. In Religion we will continue to learn about prayer and make a class prayer box.

Friday, May 13 - Shakespeare in the Park - 10:55 am - Cafeteria is closed so please bring or send a lunch for your child.
Tuesday, May 17 - Preschool Party - 9:00 - 12:00
1/2 Price Book Fair- May 9-13 in Middle School Library

Thank you all for such a wonderful teacher appreciation week! We are so grateful for the flowers, cards, chocolate, school supplies, cookies, and gift cards. We are so blessed to be a part of such a supportive community.

2011-05-01T12:15:00.002-05:00

Yay! Teacher for a Day!

We loved having our 8th Grade Teachers, Ana and Emi! (Hope we didn't wear them out too much.)

This week in Preschool, May 2 -6, our theme is Ocean Life. We will make seahorses and starfish in Art, examine real sea shells, have a day at the beach in Dramatic Play, make gifts for our mothers, learn about the letter X, and create ocean habitats in Blocks. In Religion we will learn that Mary loves us as a mother loves her children. We will also learn about rosaries. Your child may bring a rosary from home to share with the class. Please send rosaries on Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday.

Friday, May 6 - We will attend an all school assembly to hear a classical guitarist, Ron Radford.

Friday, May 13 - Shakespeare in the Park - Cafeteria closed

Happy Mother's Day on Sunday! Thanks for sharing your great kids with me.

2011-04-25T09:22:00.002-05:00

Week of 4/26 -4/29/11

THEME: FLOWERS AND PLANTS

This week in Preschool we will make muffin tin print flower gardens in Art, plant grass seed, play a memory game, pretend to be florists in Dramatic Play, sort different types of dried beans in the Sensory Table, and play with the knights and castle in Blocks. We will learn about the letter W and the parts of a flower. In Religion we will hear the Bible story, "God's Good Friend, David," and will discover that we can pray at any time.

Wednesday, April 27 - Spirit Dress and Free Ice Cream from Home and School!
Friday, April 29 - 8th Grade Teacher for a Day

Our 8th Grade teachers on Friday will be Emi Houghton and Ana Fernandez. We are very excited to have them with us for the day! Thank you to the Houghton family for the adorable bunny cupcakes last week.

2011-04-17T11:25:00.002-05:00

Week of 4/18 - 4/21/11 THEME: HOLY WEEK/EASTER This week in Preschool we will make cracked eggs and handprint bunnies in Art, prepare for Easter in Dramatic Play, match eggs in the Sensory Table, play with Little People in Blocks, learn about the Letter N, play some Easter games, and in Religion we will discover that Jesus is alive and always keeps his promises. We will read and discuss the Holy Week stories from the Children's Bible. Wednesday, 4/20 - Pizza Day - Please send money for your child if you have not already done so. Friday, 4/22 - Good Friday - No School Monday, 4/25 - Easter Monday - No School Thank you to the Ray family for the donation of the Candyland game! The kids had a great time playing it last week and got to practice taking turns and following rules of a board game :) Thank you for all of your ongoing support this past year. Have a blessed Easter with your families!

2011-04-10T13:44:00.002-05:00

Yee-Haw!

Aren't these the cutest little cowgirls and cowboys you ever did see? We sure had fun on our dress up day and it was so wonderful to have all ten preschoolers together for our rodeo!

This week I decided to make a last minute change in our theme. Our theme for the week of 4/11 - 4/15/11 is now Fun at the Circus. We will make funny face clowns in Art, play with circus animals in Blocks and the Sensory Table, pretend to be circus performers in Dramatic Play, do a science experiment with popcorn, take turns performing circus stunts at group time, and learn about the letter M. In Religion we will add more symbols to our Jesus Tree. This week's stories include: Zacchaeus, The Prodigal Son, and Palm Sunday.

Friday, 4/22 - Good Friday - No School

Monday, 4/25 - Easter Monday - No School

2011-04-03T12:36:00.003-05:00

Week of 4/4 - 4/8/11 THEME: WILD WEST This week in Preschool we will decorate cowboy boots and vests in Art, pan for gold in the Sensory Table, go for a trail ride in Dramatic Play, play Hi-Ho Cherry-O as a math activity, play with locks and keys like an Old West Sheriff, and play with brick blocks. We will learn about the letter V and have a pretend rodeo. In Religion we continue to add to our Jesus Tree. This week's stories include: Jesus Walks on Water, The Lost Sheep, and the Good Samaritan. Thursday, 4/7 - School Pictures, 9:15 in the Parish Hall, wear church clothes Friday, 4/8 - Wild West Dress Up Day

2011-03-27T11:58:00.003-05:00

Week of 3/28 - 4/1/11 THEME: HEALTHY BODIES This week in Preschool we will learn about taking care of our teeth and will do Fancy Floss Art and make a marshmallow mouth. We will also do a related science experiment soaking eggs in cola and water and observing the results. We will learn about eating healthy foods and make our own bulletin board display. We will learn about the importance of exercise and keeping clean. We will play with waffle blocks and have a doctor's office in Dramatic Play. We will learn about the letter A. In Religion we will continue to read stories about Jesus performing miracles and will add to our Jesus Tree. Thanks to the Houghton family for the paper towels!

2011-03-18T13:19:00.002-05:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Aren't the little leprechauns just a hoot? I am so blessed to work with this wonderful class!

I hope you all had a very nice and relaxing break. I sure did. My daughter and I took a very short trip to Branson to shop and I spent the rest of the time recharging my batteries.

This week in Preschool we will be learning about Transportation. We will make hot air balloons in Art, play with cars, trains, and boats in various centers, pretend to travel on an airplane as a class, practice following directions by completing some simple worksheets, and learn about the letter K. In Religion we will begin our Jesus Tree. During Lent we will listen to and discuss New Testament stories about Jesus' teaching and miracles. For each story we will add a symbol to our Jesus Tree.

If anyone would like to donate paper towels for the classroom, we are running low. Thank you!

2011-03-06T10:39:00.005-06:00

Boy, we sure had fun last week! Aren't the little palentologists so cute?

Week of 3/7 -3/11/11

THEME: ST. PATRICK'S DAY

This week in Preschool we will make sparkly shamrocks and leprechaun hats in Art, sort Lucky Charms marshmallows, search for 3 and 4 leaf clovers in the Sensory Table, have a St. Patrick's Day party in Dramatic Play, and play with the knights and castle set and the doll house. We will do some Irish dancing and go on a treasure hunt. We will learn about the letter R. In Religion we will learn that we have many friends in our church, attend Mass, and learn about St. Patrick.

Tuesday, 3/8 - Catholic Schools Day - Spirit Dress/Crazy Hat Day, Family Lunch at 11:30, cafeteria is closed

Wednesday, 3/9 - Ash Wednesday - We are going to Mass with our 6th grade buddies!

March 14 -18 - Spring Break - No School

2011-02-27T12:57:00.002-06:00

Week of 2/28 - 3/4/11

THEME: DINOSAURS

This week in Preschool we will make baby dinosaurs in Art, pretend to be palentologists when we dig for "bones" in the Sensory Table, play with large and small dinosaurs in Dramatic Play and Blocks, and practice our counting skills by making a book with stamps. We will watch a model volcano erupt using baking soda and vinegar. We will learn many facts about dinosaurs, play some dinosaur games, and learn some dinosaur songs. We will learn about the Letter B. In Religion we will continue to learn about Jesus' many friends and will begin preparing to attend Mass.

Tues. 3/1 - Class pictures, wear uniform. If this is not your child's regular day to attend school, you may meed us in the gym at 8:50 am.
Wed. 3/2 - Pizza Day, please send money for your child if you have not already done so.

On Ash Wednesday, March 9, we will be attending Mass with our 6th Grade Buddies, Mrs. Roberson's class!

2011-02-18T13:08:00.003-06:00

Week of 2/21 - 2/25/11

THEME: FIVE SENSES

This week in Preschool we will concentrate on a different sense each day. On Monday we will practice recognizing familiar sounds and will make Music Makers in Art (hearing.) On Tuesday we will paint with water colors and try to build a block tower while blind-folded (sight.) On Wednesday we will taste a variety of foods, make a class graph of our favorites, and paint with food (taste.) On Thursday we will guess familiar smells and make Minty Cones in Art. On Friday we will practice recognizing familiar objects by touch and will make Textured Scent Balls. We will learn the Letter P. In Religion we will begin to learn about our church and will make a visit there on Wednesday.

Monday, 2/21 - School in session (I will be gone - Mrs. Glover will be teaching.)
Friday, 25 - FREE DRESS FOR MRS. NEWTON'S CLASS!

Our class won the Catholic School's Week door decorating contest for our building and earned a free dress! You can see our prize-winning work on the bulletin board outside our classroom.

Thank you for the donations from our wish list and for our treasure box!

***Pizza order forms are due on Tuesday, Feb. 22. (If we do not receive a response by that time we will order one slice of cheese pizza for your child.)

2011-02-13T18:08:00.002-06:00

Week of 2/14 - 2/18/11

THEME: VALENTINES

Yay! The snow is melting! I am hopeful for a lot of outside time this week. We will be making love bugs in Art, playing with red blocks and jungle animals in the Block Center, having a Valentine's Day party in Dramatic Play, searching for hearts in the Sensory Table, and graphing conversation hearts as a Math activity. We will learn about the letter D. We will talk about rhyming words and answer simple true and false questions. We will practice following directions while completing some fun worksheets. In Religion, we will discover ways to show love to others and talk about the meaning of Valentine's Day.

Monday, 2/14 - Preschool Valentine's Day Party, 1:00 pm in the classroom
Friday, 2/18 - School is in session
Monday, 2/21 - School is in session
Tuesday, 3/1 - Class pictures

Next Monday, 2/21, I will be out of town on a previously scheduled trip. Mrs. Glover will be teaching the class.

2011-02-06T13:42:00.003-06:00

Week of 1/7 - 1/10/11

Hello, Parents! Boy, can you believe how last week turned out? I was definitely surprised when that second round of snow hit! I hope you all stayed safe and warm and that the cabin fever wasn't too bad.

My plan for this week is to do all that I had planned for last week. Alas, this means that we won't have our Chinese New Year Week this year, which is one of my favorite themes. But that's just the way it goes sometimes!

As far as I know right now, the following events are still in place:

Tuesday, Feb. 8 - Class Pictures
Thursday, Feb. 10 - PTC After School
Friday, - Feb. 11 - PTC - No School
Saturday, Feb. 12 - SPX Auction
Monday, Feb. 14 - Valentine's Day Party, 1:00 pm in the classroom. Please send valentines for your child to share with the class. We have 10 students and it's easier for them to pass out the valentines if they only sign their names without individually addressing them. Parents are welcome to attend the party.
Friday, Feb. 18 - No School - Teacher Inservice Day
Monday, Feb. 21 - No School - President's Day

If anything changes, I will let you know as soon as I know! See you tomorrow. Maybe.

2011-01-30T20:20:00.003-06:00

Happy 100th Day of School!

Working hard on our crowns

Week of 1/31 -2/4/11

THEME: CATHOLIC SCHOOLS WEEK

It's that exciting time of year again! We have a busy week in store. We will play instruments, sort animals, and draw objects in group time. We will play with Rescue Heroes in Blocks, with the beauty shop in Dramatic Play, and with sand in the sensory table. We will color pictures of SPX students in Art. We will talk about what it means to go to a Catholic School and make thank-you cards for our parents.

Monday, 1/31 - Crazy Sock Day

Tuesday, 2/1 - Spirit Dress, Talent Show, Jupiter Jumps

Wednesday, 2/2 - Pennies for PJ's

Thursday, 2/3 - Favorite Team/Workout Wear, Family Lunch 11:30 - 12:15

Friday, 2/4 - Crazy Hat Day

Tuesday, 2/8 - Class Picture Day M-W-F kids can meet us in the gym at 8:50 for pictures

Thursday, 2/10 - PTC After School

Friday, 2/11 -No School PTC

Saturday, 2/12 - SPX Auction

2011-01-23T13:58:00.002-06:00

Week of 1/24 -1/28/2011

THEME: WINTER WONDERLAND

This week in Preschool we will make penguins in Art, pretend to play in the snow and ice fish in Dramatic Play, play with ice blocks and arctic animals in the Block Center, and search for white items hidden in packing peanuts in the Sensory Table. We will make a frosty snowflake using borax and water as a science activity. We will have a pretend snowball fight and skate on paper plates. We will learn about the Letter J. We will learn how Jesus called the first disciples and that we are all friends of Jesus.

The 100th Day of School is now on Wed. Jan. 26 at 9:00 am due to our snow day last week. Wed. Jan. 26 is also Pizza Lunch Day. Please send money for your child if you have not already done so. (We ordered one slice of cheese pizza for those who did not turn in a form.)

Pennies for PJ's starts this week on Wed. Jan. 26. Bring in change for Blue Star Mothers and wear your pajamas to school on Wed. Feb. 2.

Please let the office or Mrs. Heinrichs know if your child will be attending Preschool at SPX next year so that we can add their name to the list. Thank you!

2011-01-17T20:02:00.002-06:00

Week of 1/18 - 1/21/11

THEME: NURSERY RHYMES

We will make plum pies in Art like the one that Little Jack Horner ate. We will search for (more than) Three Blind Mice in the Sensory Table. We will act out Hickory, Dickory, Dock and Humpty Dumpty in Blocks. We will learn about the Letter S. We will continue talking about families in Religion. We will act out nursery rhymes and hunt for Bo Peep's lost sheep.

Next Tuesday, Jan. 25 is the 100th Day of School. We will be having a small party to celebrate, at 9:00 am. All M-W-F students are welcome to come! Let me know if you have any questions.

Don't forget to turn in pizza lunch order forms by Friday, Jan. 21. Pizza day is next Wednesday, Jan. 26. Also, Mrs. Williams would like to remind you to please send your child in tennis shoes on Tuesdays and Wednesdays for P.E. class. Thank you!

2011-01-09T12:06:00.002-06:00

Week of 1/10 -1/14/11

THEME: SPACE

This week in Preschool we learn about the sun, planets and stars. We will make space scenes in Art, pretend to blast off in a rocket ship in Dramatic Play, play with astronauts, "moon rocks," and sand in the Sensory Table, and play with Planet Heroes in Blocks. We will make a night sky in our room using cups and flashlights. We will learn about the letter G. In Religion we will discover that a new baby is a gift from God, just like baby Jesus. We will also discuss how we were all babies at one time.

Monday, January 17 - No School - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

Since we are talking about babies in Religion this week, your child may bring in a baby photo and a baby item (such as a blanket, clothing, toy, etc.) to show to the class. We'll have a lot of fun sharing these items! Please send them on Wednesday or Thursday. Thank you!

2011-01-02T21:49:00.003-06:00

Week of 1/5 - 1/7/2011

THEME: MANNERS

Happy New Year! I am looking forward to a great second semester. Thanks to all the parents who helped with the Christmas party; I heard it was a great success. I am feeling great, I've had lots of rest, and I am ready to get back to school!

This week we will be learning about and practicing good manners. We will make place settings in Art, play with bears in the Sensory Table, play with soft building blocks, and pretend to work at Subway in Dramatic Play. In Religion we will learn about the Magi's visit to Baby Jesus and we will discover that we can honor Jesus when we are kind to others.

You can call the school office now to put your child's name on the list for Preschool for next year (2011-2012). The enrollment process will begin in February.

Castles and Fairy Tales

2010-12-05T12:29:00.002-06:00

Week of 12/6 - 12/10/10

THEME: CASTLES AND FAIRY TALES

This week in Preschool we will make magic wands in Art, have tea at the castle in Dramatic Play, play with the castle and knight set in Blocks, and hunt for the Queen's jewels in the Sensory Table. Each day we will hear a different Fairy Tale, including Cinderella, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Jack and the Beanstalk, Little Red Riding Hood, and the Elves and the Shoemaker. In Religion, we will light our 2nd Advent candle and will hear the sotry of the birth of Jesus.

This year the Preschool classes will NOT be participating in the school Christmas program. Sorry for any confusion.

Friday, December 17 - Preschool Christmas Party at 1:00 pm in the classroom. All parents are welcome to attend!

**Next week, 12/13 -12/17/10, I will be taking a medical leave of absence. Mrs. Glover will be substituting so all will run smoothly! (A big thank you goes out to Mrs. Glover.) I hope to be able to return when Christmas Break is over on 1/5/11, but Mrs. Glover will be on call to sub if needed.

2010-11-28T13:08:00.002-06:00

Hope you had a "Spudtacular" Thanksgiving!

Week of 11/29 - 12/3/10

THEME: WEATHER/SEASONS

This week in Preschool we will make fluffy cloouds and weather books in Art. We will play with "ice" blocks and Arctic animals in the Block Center. We will play with a "rain storm" in the Sensory Table. We will learn about the different types of weather that come with the different seasons. We will learn about the Letter Q. In Religion, we will learn about the season of Advent and Advent wreaths. We will hear the story, "The Angel Tells Mary Wonderful News." We will color an Advent calendar.

Christmas Break is Dec. 20 - Jan. 4!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-21T13:31:00.005-06:00

Week of 11/22 - 11/23/10

THEME: THANKSGIVING

This week in Preschool we will make potato turkeys in Art, play with corn in the Sensory Table, build log homes in Blocks, examine different types of feathers, and do a turkey stamping Math sheet. We will pretend to make and serve Thanksgiving dinner in Dramatic Play. On Tuesday, we will have a special treat with our 6th grade buddies and will go to the 2nd grade play. We will continue to share things that we are thankful for in Religion.

Prevent Blindness will be doing vision screenings this week.

11/24 - 11/27 - NO SCHOOL - Thanksgiving Break

Thank you for your support of the Appalachia gift drive and the Box Tops collection. Have a very blessed and relaxing Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving

2010-11-14T13:18:00.004-06:00

Boy, it's hard to wake up!

Week of 11/15 - 11/19/10

THEME: THANKSGIVING

It's that time of year again and I am so thankful to all of you for the wonderful birthday celebration and for your wonderful kids! I had such a great day and it was so sweet to see all the kids walking into the classroom with cards (lovingly made) and flowers. Thank you so much for your time and effort. It was a wonderful surprise and very much appreciated.

This week in Preschool we will play in the tepee in Dramatic Play. In Art we will make pies and turkey legs. We will play with Little People in Blocks and with beans in the Sensory Table. We will sort fruit and play with the marble run set. We will learn about the letter O. We will go on an alphabet turkey hunt, and talk about the first Thanksgiving and our favorite Thanksgiving foods. We will learn about being thankful for all that God has given us in Religion.

Thursday, 11/18 - Wear your favorite Bedlam team colors and send in your Boxtops to vote for your favorite team!

Friday, 11/19 - Bring in Appalachia gifts if you would like to donate

Pets

2010-11-07T09:04:00.003-06:00

Week of 11/8 - 11/12/10

THEME: PETS

This week in Preschool we will make calico cats and footprint dogs in Art. In the Block Center we will build dog houses out of wooden blocks. In the Sensory Table we will make nests and feed two small (artificial) birds. In Dramatic Play we will pretend to work at and visit a Pet Hospital. We will lean about the things that pets need for care and growth. We will share pictures and stories of our own pets. We will learn about the letter C. In Religion we will learn about taking care of ourselves and staying healthy.

****If you would like to bring a family pet to school for the children to see, we would love to have them visit! You may bring a pet in at the beginning or end of the school day, if that is more convenient for you. We would also love to see pictures of your family's pets. If you have any concerns about pet visits (allergies, fears, etc.) please let me know.

2010-10-31T14:36:00.004-05:00

Week of 11/1/10 - 11/5/10

THEME: AUTUMN LEAVES

Happy Halloween, everyone! Hope you enjoy these pictures from Fun Day. As you can see, Iron Man was everywhere that day! This week we will make autumn leaves out of grocery sacks, crayons, and paint in Art. We will do a seasonal float or sink experiment as a Science Activity. We will play in a leaf pile, searching for autumn colored cubes, in the Sensory Table. Back by popular demand, we will play in the Beauty Shop in Dramatic Play and with the Doll House in the Block Center. We will talk about all of the changes that autumn brings, and will play fall games and do fall movement activities. We will learn about the letter U. In Religion we will learn about All Saints Day.

Wed. 11/3 is Pizza Day - Please send money for your child if you have not already done so.

A huge thank you to Jan Martin (friend of the Burke family) for sewing a cover for our kitchen!!

Colder weather is upon us. Please remember that we go outside at approximately 9:30 am three days a week and it is chilly! Please send warm coats, jackets, etc. for your child.

Happy Halloween!

2010-10-24T21:22:00.002-05:00

Week of 10/25 - 10/29/10

THEME: HALLOWEEN

We will make Halloween lanterns in Art, using paint and cookie cutters. In Dramatic Play we will pretend to have a Halloween party. In the Sensory Table we will use plastic hammers to pound golf tees into a real pumpkin as a fine motor activity. In the Block area we will play with the train set. We will learn Halloween songs, play some games, and make a class spider web. We will learn all about our second vowel, the letter I. In Religion we will hear the Bible story, "God Made People Special."

Thank you to all who donated candy and came to Fun Day. Thanks for your ongoing donations of snacks and treasure box items. Only four full weeks plus two days until Thanksgiving break!

2010-10-16T22:15:00.003-05:00

Fire Safety Fun!

We sure had fun last week and boy, did the kids look cute in their Dalmation hats. They really enjoyed the fire truck (thanks Mr. Newton!) and learning all about Stop, Drop, and Roll. But now it's on to our next fun theme, PUMPKINS!

This week (Oct. 18 - 22) we will be tracing and painting pumpkins in Art. In Dramatic Play we will play in our Preschool Pumpkin Patch. We will learn about the life cycle of the pumpkin plant and will examine a real pumpkin using our senses. We will make a tasty pumpkin pudding. We will learn about the letter T. We will hear a Religion story about Jamal and his family cleaning up the beach, and we will discover ways to care for all of God's creation.

Tuesday, 10/19 - Picture Retakes

Wednesday, 10/20 - Spirit Dress/Spirit Night

Sunday, 10/24 - SPX Fun Day - 1:00 - 4:00 pm

On Thursday, 10/21, I will be attending the Oklahoma Early Childhood Teacher's Association Conference. Mrs. Glover will be substituting.

Parents, please remember to have your girls wear shorts under their jumpers. Thanks!

2010-10-11T16:03:00.004-05:00

Aw, Shucks!

Parents, as you can see we had great fun shucking corn. I love to see all of their wonderful expressions and hope you do, too.

Week of 10/12/10 - 10/15/10

THEME: FIRE SAFETY

This week in preschool we will make Dalmation hats and Fire Trucks in Art. We will learn about stop, drop, and roll and crawling low under smoke. We will play in a pretend fire truck in Dramatic Play. We will play with Rescue Heroes and vehicles. We will count Dalmation spots as a Math activity. We will learn all about the letter H. In Religion we will hear the story of God making the world and we will take a nature walk to enjoy all of God's creations.

Saturday, 10/16 - SPX Endowment Dinner

Tuesday, 10/19 - Picture Retakes

Thanks to all of the families for bringing snacks throughout the first quarter. We really appreciate you. A big thank you to Mrs. Houghton for coordinating our Fun Day booth. Please contact her if you can help.

Fun at the Farm/Fair

2010-10-03T14:39:00.004-05:00

Week of 10/4/10 - 10/8/10

We will make circular sheep and muddy pigs (finger painting with chocolate pudding!) in Art. We will learn all about corn, how it grows, the many things made from corn, and we will shuck our own ear of corn as a Science activity. We will practice color sorting and animal matching when we let small farm animals take rides on the Ferris wheel and merry-go-round as a Math activity. We will play with feed corn and mice in the Sensory Table. In Dramatic Play we will harvest vegetables on our class farm. We will learn about the letter E. In Religion we will learn how our families love and care for us just like the Good Shepherd cares for his sheep.

Friday, 10/8 - No School - Diocesan Inservice
Monday, 10/11 - No School - Teacher Retreat
Tuesday, 10/12 - Free Dress if you donated change to the tuition fund

If anyone knows how to sew and would be interested in making a cover for our kitchen when it is not in use, please let me know. I will provide the fabric and anything else that is needed. I just lack sewing skills! Thanks so much!

2010-09-26T12:50:00.002-05:00

Ready to hibernate in our bear cave!

Week of 9/27/10 - 10/1/10

THEME: APPLES

We will have fun with apples this week, using them for painting, measuring, and, of course, tasting. We will make pretend apple pies in the sensory table. We will learn how apples can be preserved with lemon juice as a science activity. We will hear a fun story called "The Little Red House With No Windows." We will learn all about the letter F. We will make F with wood pieces, play dough, and our magnet boards. We can also write F in our notebooks. In Religion, we will learn about the story of the lost sheep and how Jesus, Our Good Shepherd, loves and cares for each one of us.

Thursday, 9/30 - Flu Shot Clinic - 11:30 - 1:30 - See Wednesday Packet for more info.

We will continue collecting change for the St. Francis Tuition Assistance Fund until Thursday, Sept. 30. If your child brings in change, they get a free dress day on Tuesday, Oct. 12 (this was changed from Oct. 7).

Recapping Color Week and Moving Onto Bears!

2010-09-18T20:53:00.009-05:00

We are all a box of crayons.

Science is fun - Color Diffusion

Tastes better than it looks.

Yum, Yum, Green Eggs and Ham!

Gosh, we had fun celebrating colors. I just couldn't resist putting lots of pictures on this week. Every day we learned about a new color. We worked together to add the colors to our class rainbow and searched for items in our room for each new color. At the end of the two weeks, we made crayon hats, marched around our room singing a color song, and ate delicious colorful cupcakes (thank you, Shannon, and Happy Birthday!)

Week of 9/20/10 - 9/24/10

THEME: BEARS

This week we will have a teddy bear picnic in Dramatic Play, pretend to make porridge in the Sensory Table, sort teddy bears brought from home and let them "hibernate" in our class cave (a box we will decorate) during naptime, and make circle bears in Art. We will learn about our first letter, the Letter L. In Religion, we will hear a story about how Carlos got his name and we will learn that our names are special.

Wed, 9/22 is Pizza Day - Please send money for your child if you have not yet done so.

The Book Fair is taking place all week in the Middle School Library.

Your child may bring a teddy bear from home for our sorting activities, on Wed. 9/22 and/or Thurs. 9/23.

SPX will be collecting change for the St. Francis Tuition Assistance Program. If your child brings in change, they can have a Free Dress on Thursday, October 7.

2010-09-12T10:41:00.003-05:00

Week of 9/13/10 - 9/17/10

THEME: A CELEBRATION OF COLORS

We will continue to add to our class rainbow and will finish making our color books in Art. These will be sent home when they are finished. We will observe how colors diffuse in Science, using magic markers, paper towels, and cups of water. We will sort Fruit Loops onto colored pipe cleaners for a Math and Fine Motor activity. In the Sensory Table we will pretend to make "alphabet soup" using foam letters. We will learn some songs and finger plays from our handwriting program in preparation for starting Letter of the Week next week. In Religion we will hear the story, "Jesus Is the Good Shepherd," and will learn about all the people who love and care for us like Jesus.

Tuesday, 9/14 - School Picture Day - Wear uniform (M-W-F kids can meet us at 8:45 in the Parish Hall)
Wednesday, 9/15 - Spirit Dress/Spirit Night - Wear SPX t-shirt and shorts or jeans
Friday, 9/17 - Favorite Color Free Dress for Preschool - We will also be making special hats and eating a special treat to cap off our color theme.

Thank you to all for coming to conferences! I really enjoyed meeting with you and learning more about your children.

SPX Book Fair is next week (9/20 -9/24) in the Middle School Library.

2010-09-07T05:52:00.002-05:00

Ready to make shaving cream shapes!

Week of 9/7/10 -9/9/10

THEME: A CELEBRATION OF COLORS!

We will begin our two week celebration of colors, focusing on a different color each day. We will add to our class rainbow daily and will paint pages to make a color book in Art. We will search for colored items in the Sensory Table and will sort objects by color. In Dramatic Play we will pretend to work in a paint store. We will hear a fun story of Scat the Cat, who could change his color "just like that!" We will observe a color mixing experiment. In Religion we will be learning about Noah's Ark and the sign of the rainbow.

Thursday, 9/9 - Parent Teacher Conferences after school
Friday, 9/10 - Parent Teacher Conferences - No School

Tuesday, 9/14 - School Picture Day - Wear Uniform
Wednesday, 9/15 - Spirit Dress/Spirit Night
Friday, 9/17 - Preschool Free Dress - Wear your favorite color!

At the end of our color study, we will have a celebration day on Friday, 9/17. Your child may wear their favorite color to class that day. (This will be like a free dress day so they can wear any shorts or jeans.) We will also be making special hats and eating a special treat that day.

M-W-F kids can come to get their pictures taken on the 14th. We will let you know our scheduled picture time as soon as we get that information.

2010-08-29T09:20:00.002-05:00

Working Hard to Wash Dishes!

Week of 8/30/10 - 9/3/10

THEME: SHAPES

This week in Preschool we will learn all about shapes using flash cards, songs and games. We will be playing with a variety of shape blocks, puzzles, and manipulatives. We will make ice cream cone pictures in Art using triangles and circles. In Dramatic Play we will pretend to work and visit a beauty shop. We will search for shapes in the Sensory Table and will make shapes using play dough and shaving cream. In Religion, we will hear the story, "My Teacher Welcomes Me," and will give thanks for friends and school.

Monday, 9/6 - Labor Day - NO SCHOOL
Thursday, 9/9 - Parent Teacher Conferences after school
Friday, 9/10 Parent Teacher Conferences - NO SCHOOL

Thank you so much to the Daugherty, Houghton, and Ray families for the generous donations of items for our treasure box! Looks like we are set for awhile but will let you know if we need more donations in the future.

If you are reading this now, you already know that I am adding to the blog weekly and trying to post pictures whenever possible!

2010-08-22T09:58:00.002-05:00

Making Food Faces for Snack

Week of 8/23/10 - 8/27/10

THEME: MY FAMILY

We will learn about families by sharing items found at home in our family scavenger hunt, making family trees in Art, graphing the number of people in our family for Math, and acting out things that different family members do at Group Time. We will also be experimenting with the gear set in Science, washing dishes in the Sensory Table, and playing with the doll house family. We will begin learning about the wood pieces used to form letters. In Religion, we will begin using our religion program and will hear the Bible Story, "Let the Children come to Me."

Monday, September 6 - Labor Day - NO SCHOOL

Thank you to the Burke family for donating puzzles and paper for our class!
We are accepting donations for our Treasure Box. Any small items, such as Happy Meal toys, would be most appreciated. These do not need to be new - just things you might be getting rid of from your child's toy box.

2010-08-10T18:16:00.002-05:00

Calling all Preschoolers!

Week of August 11 - 13, 2011

THEME: MY NEW SCHOOL

Welcome to all my new students and families! I am so excited for another fun-filled year of Preschool! This week we will spend time getting to know each other and our new classroom and school. We will learn about our routines and schedule, as well as our classroom rules. We'll have a lot of fun playing at centers: playing in the kitchen in Dramatic Play, playing with soft foam blocks in the Block Center, playing with sand in the Sensory Table, and making something special for Back to School Night in the Art Center. We will begin learning the Sign of the Cross and some of our prayers.

Don't forget Back to School Night for parents is Monday, August 16 at 6:00 pm. I'm looking forward to seeing you there. Also, the SPX Feast Day Picnic is Saturday, August 21 at 6:00 pm.

2010-05-23T22:14:00.002-05:00

Week of 5/24/10 - 5/28/10

THEME: THE BEST OF PRESCHOOL

This week we will be playing with some of our favorite toys, manipulatives, center items, etc. that we have enjoyed throughout the year. We will review many things we have learned this year, finish our keepsake books, and just have fun being together!

Wed. May 26 - Super Kids Day! - Spirit Dress - We will have our own fun on the playground while the big kids play games on the field.

Fri. May 28 - Last Day of School! - Report Cards sent home

Thanks you so much for an awesome year with your wonderful children. They have learned and grown so much and I have loved getting to know each of them. I hope you have a enjoyable and relaxing summer.

2010-05-16T18:46:00.002-05:00

Week of 5/17/10 - 5/21/10

THEME: BIRTHDAYS

This week in Preschool we will have a pretend birthday party in Dramatic Play, play with confetti in the Sensory Table, play with the train set and doll house in the Block Center, learn about how letters are put together to form words, and in Art we will begin working on keepsake books that will be sent home next week. In Religion we will learn about Moses, Joseph, and Elijah from the Old Testament. We will also work on learning our birth dates and will share stories about our favorite birthdays.

Thursday, May 20 - Jupiter Jump Party! 9:00 - 12:00 Please pray for good weather! Also, please send $1.50 for the party if you have not already done so. ***YOUR CHILD MAY WEAR SPIRIT DRESS THAT DAY!

We will be sending home your child's Handwriting Without Tears Workbook this week.

2010-05-09T21:25:00.002-05:00

Week of 5/10/10 - 5/14/10

THEME: INSECTS AND SPIDERS

This week in Preschool we will make Honey Bees in Art and do Honey Pot Math. We will learn about the differences between insects and spiders and will have a Buggy Songfest. We will play with Rescue Heroes in Blocks and search for bugs in the Sensory Table. We will learn our last letter, Z! In Religion we will hear Bible stories about obeying God's word.

Friday, May 14 - CAFETERIA CLOSED - Please send or bring a lunch for your child. We will NOT be attending Shakespeare in the Park as a class but you are welcome to pick up your child and attend any of the performances.

Thursday, May 20 - JUPITER JUMP PARTY! All preschoolers and parents are welcome to attend. (No siblings please.) Please send $1.50 to help with the cost. Party is from 9:00 - 12:00 and we will be eating our lunch outside.

We have finished our Religion book so your child will be receiving a "diploma." For the next three weeks we will be doing Bible stories and review.

2010-05-02T19:42:00.005-05:00

Week of 5/3/10 - 5/7/10

THEME: OCEAN LIFE

This week in Preschool we will be making Rainbow Fish in Art, going to the beach in Dramatic Play, examining seashells, making ocean habitats in Blocks, learning about the letter Y, and learning about Our Blessed Mother, Mary, in Religion. We will also be making a special Mother's Day picture which will be sent home at the end of the week.

Wednesday, May 5 - Picture packets due back

Friday, May 7 - We are going to the May Crowning Mass with our 6-R Buddies

Your child may bring a rosary from home to show to the class this week.

We had a great time clowning around last week! Our 8th Grade Teacher-for-a Day, Adam, was awesome. They all had a wonderful time.

2010-04-25T21:45:00.005-05:00

Week of 4/26/10 - 4/30/10

THEME: CIRCUS

This week in Preschool we will be making elephants in Art, playing with circus animals in Blocks and the Sensory Table, pretending to be clowns in Dramatic Play, performing circus stunts and learning some circus lingo, and learning about the Letter X. In Religion, we will be making music for God using instruments. We will also watch a simple science experiment using popcorn and will complete a balloon math worksheet.

Friday, April 30 - 8th grade Teacher for a Day - Adam will be working in our room all day!

Thanks so much for sharing your stick horses, etc. with us last week. The kids had a ball with the Wild West theme and rodeo!

2010-04-18T16:35:00.003-05:00

Week of 4/19/10 - 4/23/10

THEME: WILD WEST

Howdy, y'all! This will be a fun-filled week in Preschool. We'll be making vests from paper sacks in Art, going on a trail ride in Dramatic Play, panning for gold in the Sensory Table, having a stick horse rodeo, learning about the letter W, writing numbers 9 and 10, and in Religion we will learn about David who sang his prayers when he talked to God.

Tues. 4/20 - Cowboy/Cowgirl Dress
Wed. 4/21 - Free Dress, School Pictures (9:45 in Parish Hall), and Pizza Day
Thurs. 4/22 - Spirit Dress/Spirit Night
Fri. 4/23 - Cowboy/Cowgirl Dress

2010-04-11T17:20:00.002-05:00

Week of 4/12/10 - 4/16/10

THEME: CATERPILLARS AND BUTTERFLIES

This week in Preschool we will be learning all about the Life Cycle of the Butterfly by making caterpillars, cocoons, and butterflies in Art and acting out the life cycle at group time. We'll also make AB pattern caterpillars at the Art table. In the Sensory Table we will wrap pom-pom butterflies in yarn cocoons. We will play with waffle blocks in the Block Center, and we'll play with the kitchen and babies in Dramatic Play. We will learn that butterflies' wings have symmetrical patterns and colors. In Religion we will learn about prayers of Thanksgiving. We will be learning all about the Letter N as well.

Wed. April 21 - Pizza Day - Please send your child's completed form back by April 15
Thurs. April 22 - Spirit Dress/Spirit Night at Maggie Moo's

2010-04-05T18:16:00.002-05:00

Week of 4/6/10 - 4/9/10

THEME: FLOWERS AND PLANTS

Hello, one and all! I hope that you had a very blessed Easter with your families. After this week, there are only seven full weeks of school left. Can you believe it? This week in Preschool we will be making Splendid Sunflowers in Art. In Blocks we will be playing with farm sets, and in the Sensory Table we will be playing with beans. In Dramatic Play we will pretend to work at a Flower Shop. We will be planting grass seed in cups. We will draw faces on the cups and when the grass or "hair" grows, we'll have our own "Chia" friends! We'll also learn all about the Letter M. We'll learn the parts of a flower and compare real and artificial flowers. In Religion we will learn that we can pray anytime and anywhere, after we hear a story about David.

Friday, April 9 - Name That Tune Trivia at SPX

2010-03-28T19:16:00.002-05:00

Week of 3/29/10 - 4/2/10

THEME: HOLY WEEK/EASTER

This week we will learn all about the events in Jesus' life during Holy Week by reading our children's Bible (your kids love Bible stories!) and looking at the Resurrection Eggs that help tell the story using symbols. We will make beautiful Easter eggs in Art using tissue paper and a little water. We will hunt for eggs in the Sensory Table and will pretend to get ready for Easter in Dramatic Play. We will do a simple experiment using eggs and vinegar. On Thursday we will get together with our 6-R buddies. We will work on the Letter V and numbers 7 and 8 in Handwriting.

Wed., March 29 - Report Cards Sent Home - please sign and return
Fri., April 2 - Good Friday - No School
Mon., April 5 - Easter Monday - No School

Thank you so much for all the generous donations of paper towels and wipes! This will really help us out. Thank you, too, for the on-going donations for our treasure box!

Please return Rice Bowls this week if you chose to participate in this Lenten activity.

2010-03-21T19:09:00.002-05:00

Week of 3/22/10 -3/26/10

THEME: DINOSAURS

At long last, the week we've all been waiting for...dinosaur week! Yes, it's definitely one of the most popular, especially for the boys. We will be learning all about the different types of dinosaurs through, songs, games, experiments, and of course, a lot of play. We will be making baby dinosaurs hatching in their eggs in Art. The Block Center and Dramatic Play will be filled with lots of different dinosaurs. In the Sensory Table we will be digging for dinosaur bones (pasta in sand.) We will also be learning about the Letter A. In Religion we will continue adding to our Jesus Tree every time we read another gospel story. Also, we will be learning about Palm Sunday.

Friday, April 2 - Good Friday - No School

Monday, April 5 - Easter Monday - No School

I hope every one had a wonderful time over Spring Break. My family and I took a short trip to Memphis and had an awesome time exploring the history of blues, soul, and civil rights. Hopefully we are all rested now and ready for the home stretch.

If anyone would like to donate a box of baby wipes or a roll of paper towels to help us get through until the end of the year, it would be very much appreciated!

2010-03-07T21:19:00.002-06:00

Week of 3/8/10 - 3/12/10

THEME: ST. PATRICK'S DAY

This week we will make rainbow headbands in Art, have a St. Paddy's Day party in Dramatic Play, search for 3 and 4 leaf clovers in the Sensory Table, and learn about the letter K. We will also learn the secret of "Magic Emerald Dust" (it's really pistachio pudding mix that turns green when you add milk -shh! don't tell the kids). We will listen to Irish music and do some Irish dancing. We will learn to draw a simple leprechaun. In Religion we will learn about St. Patrick and we will continue adding symbols to our Jesus Tree. This is like a Jesse Tree used during Advent. We are reading Bible stories about Jesus' parables and miracles and then adding a symbol for each story that we read. Also during Lent we are adding jelly beans to a class jelly bean jar for good behavior. Each color represents a different good deed or action. We hope to fill our jar by Easter!

Spring Break is next week, March 15 - 19 - No School!

2010-02-28T18:52:00.003-06:00

3/1/10 - 3/5/10

THEME: FIVE SENSES

This week we will be learning all about our wonderful senses with many hands-on activities. In Art we will make texture books which will enable us to touch and describe different materials as well as practicing our cutting and handwriting. In the Sensory Table we will play with gloves filled with a variety of fun-to-touch stuff, including hair gel, flour, bird seed and rice. In Dramatic Play we will pretend to go on a campout, always an experience for the senses. We will taste sweet, sour, and salty snacks and make a class graph of our favorites. We will listen to familiar sounds and try to guess what they are, and we will play a listening game to see if we can identify our classmates' voices. We will smell some delicious and not-so-delicious food scents while completing a worksheet. We will also learn about the letter R, and in Religion we will continue to learn about the season of Lent and that this is a great time to help others.

Tuesday, March 2 is Family Reading Night in the Parish Hall
Spring Break is March 15 - 19!

Michael and his family are moving to Lousiana and this Wed (3/3) will be his last day. We will miss you, Michael, and wish you all the best!

2010-02-21T16:43:00.006-06:00

HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR!

GUNG HEI FAT CHOY!

CRAZY HAT DAY!

Week of 2/22/10 - 2/26/10

THEME: MANNERS

This week we will learn all about using good manners and we will practice what we have learned by acting out different scenarios. In Art we will make place settings. We will observe two different sized parachutes and the rate at which they fall as a Science activity. We will pretend to work at a Subway Restaurant in Dramatic Play. We will practice differentiating between small, medium, and large. We will learn the letter B. In Religion we will discover that we have many church friends who help us come to know God's love.

Thursday, Feb. 25 - Spirit Dress/Spirit Night

Tuesday, March 2 - Family Reading Night, 6:45 - 8:00 - for more info. see your Wednesday Packet (RSVP's due this Wed. 2/24)

Your children were very well behaved at Ash Wednesday Mass last week! Mrs. Glover and I were so proud of them!

2010-02-15T15:20:00.002-06:00

Week of 2/16/10 - 2/19/10

THEME: CHINESE NEW YEAR!

This week we will learn all about this interesting holiday celebrated by many people around the world and we will compare it to our holidays. In Dramatic Play we will prepare for Chinese New Year (clean house, sweep out bad luck, and put money in red envelopes) and we will have a tea party. Chinese hats and parasols will also be available. In the sensory table we will use our fine motor skills to manipulate chopsticks. We will pick up pretend noodles with chopsticks and put them in take-out boxes. In Art we will make paper lanterns. In Blocks we will make homes out of red blocks for plastic tigers (this is the Year of the Tiger.) We will play a Chinese game called the Drum and the Flower. We will be learning about the letter P and we will practice writing the numbers 5 and 6. In Religion we will learn about Ash Wednesday and will attend Mass with our 6-R Buddies.

Wed. Feb. 17 - Ash Wednesday Mass with Buddies
Thurs (2/18) and Fri (2/19) - Spirit Dress Days. Our class won 2nd place in our building in the Penny Wars contest! So we get to have two spirit dress days so that all of the kids can participate.

Thanks to all who donated money to the Penny Wars for Catholic Charities. A special thanks to the Homeroom Moms and all the Parents for the the wonderful Valentine's Day Party!

We will also be enjoying King Cake on Tuesday of this week, thanks to Home and School.

2010-02-07T15:19:00.002-06:00

Week of 2/8/10 - 2/11/10

THEME: VALENTINE'S DAY!

This week in Preschool we will make Valentine sacks in Art, listen to our heartbeats at rest and after exercise, make a graph of conversation hearts, learn about the letter D, get ready for Valentine's Day in Dramatic Play, and in Religion we will learn that Valentine's Day is all about loving and caring for others.

Tuesday, Feb. 9 - Class Pictures 8:50 am - Wear uniform - M-W-F kids may meet us in the gym.
Wednesday, Feb.10 - Pizza Day! Please send money for your child if you have not already done so.
Thursday, Feb. 11 - Valentine's Day Party 1:00pm in the Parish Hall! M-W-F kids and parents are welcome to join in the fun.
Friday, Feb. 12 - NO SCHOOL - Inservice Day
Monday, Feb. 15 - NO SCHOOL - President's Day

Thank you so much to the Homeroom Moms for planning and hosting our Valentine's Day party!
Your child may bring 20 valentines to share with friends to be passed out at the party.

Thanks to all the parents for a great turn out at Family Lunch Day and a wonderful Catholic Schools Week.

Next Wed. Feb. 17 is Ash Wednesday. We will be attending Mass with our 6-R Buddies!

2010-01-30T14:14:00.002-06:00

HAPPY 100TH DAY OF SCHOOL!

Thought you might enjoy this adorable picture of the kids in their hats. We had a lot of fun that day and I still plan to try to do some 100 day activities with the T-Th kids this week, if we can fit it in with all the excitement of....

CATHOLIC SCHOOLS WEEK!!!!! 2/1/10 - 2/5/10

Yes, at long last the fun begins. This week we will attend the Talent Show, play in the Jupiter Jump, have lunch with our families, color pictures of Catholic School kids, make thank you cards for our parents, play in the Beauty Shop, learn the letter J, and practice writing numbers 3 and 4. The following schedule is a reminder of CSW attire:

Mon. Feb. 1 - Crazy Sock Day

Tues. Feb. 2 - Spirit Dress

Wed. Feb. 3 - PJ Day

Thurs. Feb. 4 - Favorite Team Shirt

Fri. Feb. 5 - Crazy Hat Day

Also, coming up are class pictures on Tues. Feb. 9 at 8:50 am. The M-W-F kids are, of course, welcome to meet us in the gym for pictures. And, please return pizza order forms (for the upcoming 8th grade fundraiser on Wed. Feb 10) by this Wed. Feb. 3. Thank you and have a great week!

2010-01-24T11:58:00.002-06:00

Week of 1/25/10 - 1/28/10

THEME: HEALTHY BODIES

This week in Preschool we will learn about the difference between healthy and junk foods and will make a class bulletin board using magazine pictures. We will exercise our bodies and learn about caring for our teeth. In Art we will make salad collages. We will make "bean soup" in the Sensory Table. We will practice writing the numbers 1 and 2 in our handwriting books. We will celebrate the 100th Day of School! And in Religion we will hear the story, "Jesus Makes Two New Friends," and learn that the church is made up of the friends of Jesus

Tuesday, Jan. 26 - Spirit Dress/Spirit Night

Wednesday, Jan. 27 - The 100th Day of School

Thursday, Jan. 28 - Parent Teacher Conferences After School

Friday, Jan. 29 - No School - Parent Teacher Conferences

**We will be celebrating the 100th Day of School for two days, Wednesday and Thursday of this week, so that all of the students will get to be a part of this milestone. We will be doing fun counting and art activities. A special thank you to Mrs. Ripp for helping with this!

**Due to the 100th day activities as well as the shortened week, we will not be learning a new letter until next week.

Welcome to our new student, Michael Kearney! He will be coming on M-W-F. We are so happy to have you in our class, Michael.

Last week during our Transportation unit we took a pretend trip on an airplane. After reading a book about planes, each student got a ticket and had to find their seat. Then snack was served while an "in flight" movie was shown. We have a lot of fun pretending in our room!

Preschoolers engrossed in the "in flight" movie!

2010-01-18T12:52:00.003-06:00

Week of 1/19/10 - 1/22/10

THEME: TRANSPORTATION

This week in Preschool we will make hot air balloons in Art. In Blocks, Dramatic Play, and the Sensory Table we will be playing with a variety of vehicles, including cars, trucks, construction vehicles and trains. We will be practicing following directions and working at the tables as we complete some worksheets. We will pretend to take a trip on an airplane. We will practice writing our names. In Religion, we will learn what it means to welcome someone and we will talk about what it means to go to a Catholic School.

*Report Cards will be sent home on Wednesday and Thursday of this week. Please sign and return them.

Tues. Jan 26 - Spirit Dress/Spirit Night at Incredible Pizza
Thurs. Jan 28 - PTC After School
Fri. Jan 29 - PTC No School
Feb. 1-5 - Catholic Schools Week
Sat. Feb 6 - SPX Auction

2010-01-09T12:59:00.002-06:00

Week of 1/11/10 - 1/15/10

THEME: WINTER WONDERLAND

Yes, I know we've all probably had enough of this theme to last awhile! This week we will pretend to play in the snow in Dramatic Play, we will search for white items hidden in packing peanuts in the sensory table, and we will compare sugar and salt and will do a simple experiment picking up an ice cube on a string using salt to make it stick. We will make a snowy day in the woods picture in Art and we will learn some fun facts about penguins. We will also learn about the letter S. And in Religion we will talk about sharing good news like the shepherds did when Jesus was born.

***Important Schedule Change: We WILL have school on February 22 and 23 as the Kindergarten Testing previously scheduled for those days has now been moved to several Saturdays. See the Wednesday packet for more info.

Monday, Jan. 18 - No School - MLK Day
Wednesday, Jan. 20 - Report Cards Sent Home
Thursday, Jan. 28 - PTC After School
Friday, Jan. 29 - No School - PTC
Feb. 1-5 Catholic Schools Week

Thanks so much for sending the very cute baby pictures last week! The kids sure enjoyed sharing them and Mrs. Glover and I loved seeing them. If you forgot, feel free to send one this week.

2010-01-03T15:35:00.002-06:00

Week of 1/4/10 - 1/8/10

THEME: SPACE

Happy New Year! This week we will be learning all about the planets and outer space. We will pretend to fly a rocket ship in Dramatic Play. We will search for stars in the Sensory Table. We will examine "moon rocks." We will take a pretend voyage into space as a class. We will learn about the letter G. In religion we will learn that new babies are a gift from God like Jesus was, and that we are all part of a family.

***Since we are learning about new babies and families in Religion, your child may bring in a baby picture and one baby item (toy, blanket, etc.) to share with the class.

Thank you so much for the wonderful Christmas party!

Wednesday, Jan. 13 - End of the 2nd Quarter
Monday, Jan. 18 - No School - Martin Luther King Day

2009-12-13T13:26:00.002-06:00

Week of 12/14/09 - 12/18/09

THEME: CHRISTMAS

This week in Preschool we will "deck the halls" in Dramatic Play, pretend to build toys in Santa's Workshop (Block Center), search for red and green items hidden in green sand in the Sensory Table, make a special gift and card for our parents in Art, make reindeer food to put out on Christmas Eve, learn about the letter Q, light the pink candle on our Advent wreath, and continue learning all about the first Christmas and how the Magi honored Jesus.

Monday, Dec. 14 - Spirit Dress/Spirit Night at Rhema

Thursday, Dec. 17 - Bring a canned food item for Catholic Charities and wear free dress/Christmas program is at 6:30 pm in the church

Friday, Dec. 18 - Red and Green Free Dress/ Christmas party 1:00 - 2:00 in the Parish Hall

Thank you to the Ripp family for loaning us your tree!

Thank you to the Homeroom Moms and all who are helping with the party! (Please send your $2.00 if you have not already done so.)

Christmas Break is Dec. 19 - Jan. 3 - School resumes Jan. 4

HAVE A WONDERFUL AND BLESSED CHRISTMAS!!!

2009-12-06T21:44:00.002-06:00

Week of 12/7/09 - 12/11/09

Theme: CASTLES AND FAIRY TALES

This week we will play in a castle in Dramatic Play, using crowns, scarves, a tea set, and a dragon as props. In the Sensory Table we will search for jewels buried in sand. In Blocks we will build castles with the waffle blocks. We will listen to a variety of classic fairy tales. We will learn all about the Letter O. And in Religion, we will hear the story of Mary's good news and talk about the second week of Advent. On Tuesday, we will go to the computer lab with our 6th grade buddies.

Thanks so much for the great response to my request for a x-mas tree! Mrs. Ripp will be sending one for our class to use next week, and now I know lots of people to call in case we need a back up.

Don't forget next week is the Christmas program (Thurs 12/17 at 6:30 in the church) and our class Christmas party (Fri 12/18 at 1:00 in the Parish Hall.)

2009-11-30T05:41:00.002-06:00

Week of 11/30/09 - 12/4/09

Theme: NURSERY RHYMES

Sorry for the late post, I couldn't get on the computer last night (teenagers and homework.) This week we will be exploring the world of Mother Goose. We will make Humpty Dumpty in Art and retell the rhyme. In the Sensory Table we will plant Mary, Mary Quite Contrary's Garden. We will build clock towers for the mouse (Hickory, Dickory, Dock) and walls for eggs (Humpty Dumpty) in Blocks. We will act out and use picture cards to retell the rhymes. We will also be learning about Letter C. In Religion, we will begin learning about Advent and will also begin learning about God's house, our church.

We will not be attending Mass this Friday as previously planned. We had planned to attend Gracie's baptism but the date was changed and Gracie was baptized yesterday. Congratulations, Gracie! We are so happy for you and your family.

Thurs. Dec. 3 - you can bring in coffee or laundry detergent to donate to Ronald McDonald House and wear free dress.

Thurs. Dec. 17 - SPX Christmas Program 6:30 - 7:30 in the church

Fri. Dec. 18 - Preschool Christmas Party 1:00 - 2:00 in the Parish Hall (due to the small size of our classroom.) Parents are welcome to attend. And, of course, we hope that all the T-Th kids can come to the party!

***Does anyone have a small (3-4 ft.) artificial tree that we can use in the classroom from Dec. 14 -18 for Dramatic Play? Please let me know - thank you!

2009-11-15T18:47:00.003-06:00

Week of 11/16/09 - 11/20/09

Theme: Thanksgiving

This week we will pretend to live like Native Americans in Dramatic Play, living in a tepee and harvesting vegetables. We will make hand print turkeys in Art. We will play with a Thomas the Train set in Blocks. We will examine different types of feathers with a magnifying glass. We will string beads to make necklaces. We will learn all about the Letter U. We will discover that we give thanks to God for all of his blessings in religion. We will read lots of Thanksgiving books and do many holiday-related activities.

Thursday, Nov. 19 - Bedlam Dress Day (also, you may send Box Tops to vote for your favorite team.)

Nov. 23 - Nov. 27 - No School - Thanksgiving Break!

A huge THANK YOU to all of you for the very generous gift cards for my birthday! I've already bought some books for the classroom and I can't wait to eat dinner at P.F. Chang's! Thank you so much. Also, the party on my birthday was wonderful. I just loved the cards that the kids made, the banner, and, of course, the cupcakes!

The recycling club is collecting aluminum cans, now through Dec. 4. The class with the most cans wins a Free Dress Day.

The auction committee is sponsoring Money for Monuments. If you would like to donate any spare change for this, there is a jar in our classroom. Our monument is a pagoda (I think) from Vietnam. There is a picture of this hanging under the crucifix. The class with the most money wins a Free Dress Day. All proceeds go towards the auction.

Bryce and the amazing Chloe!

Gracie and her hermit crabs

2009-11-08T20:55:00.007-06:00

Week of 11/9/09 - 11/13/09

Theme: Weather and Seasons

Sorry that I did not post last week. I had a bad case of bronchitis and am just now starting to feel like my old self. I missed the kids, though, and was glad to get back to class

This week we will make fluffy clouds to hang all around our room in Art. We will play with "ice" blocks and arctic animals. We will play in a "rain storm" in the Sensory Table (Mylar strips, cotton balls, and laminated raindrops.) We will make a crystallized snowflake using borax and water in a science experiment. We will learn all about the way the weather changes in different seasons. We will learn about our next vowel, the Letter I. We will hear the story "Come, Follow Me" in Religion.

Thursday, Nov. 12 - Spirit Dress/Spirit Night
Friday, Nov. 13 - H1N1 vaccinations

Thanks to all of you who brought pets last week. The kids loved it! If anyone would still like to bring in a pet to visit just let us know and we'll set up a time. Check out the pictures below. (Hope I got the dog names right!)

Holden and Pixie

Brice and Snickers

Sam and his big puppy, Lance

2009-10-25T20:32:00.003-05:00

Examining the inside of a pumpkin - squishy fun!

Captain Rick Bruder visits Preschool to talk about fire safety.

Week of 10/26/09 - 10/30/09

THEME: HALLOWEEN

This week in Preschool we will pretend to have a Halloween party in Dramatic Play, review our letters and start using our notebooks, make footprint bats in Art, play hula hoop math games, sing Halloween songs, and learn all about taking care of ourselves, as we are God's creation, in Religion.

Wed, Oct 28 and Thurs, Oct 29 - Report cards sent home. Please sign for the first quarter and return report card in the folder. The report card will be yours to keep at the end of the school year.

Thurs, Oct 29 - Pizza order forms due for the Wed., Nov 4 pizza day.

Please remember to send warm outerwear for your child now that it is getting colder. Please put your child's name in coats, etc. We will go outside unless it is below freezing, raining, or snowing.

****Next week we will be learning about pets. We are considering allowing the students to bring in pets from home, with parent present, of course. Please let me know if your child has any pet allergies, fears, etc.

2009-10-18T20:41:00.004-05:00

October 19, 2009

Week of 10/19/09 - 10/23/09

THEME: PUMPKINS

This week in Preschool we will examine real pumpkins using all of our senses. We will make a tasty pumpkin treat (pumpkin mousse), play in the Preschool Pumpkin Patch, see if fall items sink or float in a science experiment, learn all about the letter H, and hear the story of Adam and Eve in Religion, learning that God made all people special.

Tues. Oct 20 - Captain Rick Bruder from the Tulsa Fire Department will come to visit about fire

safety!

Thurs. Oct 22 - Spirit Dress/Spirit Night

Sun. Oct 25 - Fun Day at SPX from 2:00 - 5:00 - hope to see you there! Thanks for working in

our class booth.

Having fun in the Preschool Fire Station!

Look! It's Brice's butterfly right after it came out of the chrysallis!

It was amazing to watch the life cycle - thank you Brice and family.

2009-10-11T20:58:00.002-05:00

October 11, 2009

Week of 10/12/09 - 10/16/09

THEME: FIRE SAFETY

Hello, all! This is one of my favorite themes as the kids really love it. This week we will be painting fire trucks in Art, playing in a pretend fire station in Dramatic Play (equipped with a "real" fire truck courtesy of Mr. Newton - he changed the bear cave into a fire truck), playing with Rescue Heroes and rescue vehicles, adding spots to a dalmation and counting them. We will also learn about "Stop, Drop, and Roll" and how to crawl under smoke. We will learn about our first vowel, the letter E. In Religion we will hear the story of "The Perfect Beach" and learn that we are called to care for all of God's creation.

Wed. Oct 14 - Picture Retakes
Thurs. Oct 15 - I will be attending an early childhood conference and Mrs. Lisa Bierig will be filling in for me.
Fri. Oct 16 - Speech Screenings

FUN DAY ALERT! Fun Day is just around the corner - Sunday Oct 25 from 2:00 - 5:00. This is our annual all-school Halloween celebration. Please sign up to work in our class booth. The sign-in sheet will be in our classroom and/or you can contact Becky Ripp (Holden's mom) with any questions. Hope everyone can make it - it's really a lot of fun.

2009-10-04T17:52:00.002-05:00

October 4, 2009

THEME: AUTUMN LEAVES

Fall is in the air! What a beautiful time of year. I decided to switch the themes for the next two weeks so we'll be doing autumn leaves this week, and fire safety next week. This week we'll be talking all about the change of season. We'll make some beautiful leaves for our windows and we'll play in a leaf pile in the sensory table. We'll be learning our next letter, the letter F. In Religion, we'll be learning about the creation story and hearing a story and song about Abraham, as well. We'll make number charts with stickers, and of course, continue playing in centers and on the playground, and attending all of our specials. We'll keep working on getting along with our friends, sharing, and taking turns. Your kids are just wonderful and they make me smile every day! Thanks for sending them to our school.

Wed. Oct 7 is Picture Retake day and Fri. Oct. 9 there is no school due to a Diocesan Inservice day. Thanks to all of you for the continued donations of awesome treasure box items!

See the great picture below. The Tuesday - Thursday kids are having fun shucking corn and exploring corn products!

2009-09-27T16:50:00.003-05:00

Sunday, September 27, 2009

THEME: FARMS

This week will be learning all about Farms. We will make torn paper pigs in Art to create a Preschool Pig Pen on our wall. We will harvest vegetables in Dramatic Play. We will play with feed corn and plastic mice in the Sensory Table. We will learn all about our first letter, the letter L. We will learn its sound, practice making it with play dough, and practice writing L in our workbooks. We will hear a story about how Kim's mom loves and cares for her in Religion. We will also compare different types of corn products (corn starch, corn meal, popcorn) and we will shuck our own ear of corn. We will also sing farm songs.

Please return the permission forms for the speech and language screenings by Thursday Oct. 1, if you are interested. So far we have only received two forms for the upcoming screening to be held on Oct. 16.

2009-09-20T19:41:00.005-05:00

Sunday, September 21, 2009

This week in Preschool our theme is apples. We will be using apples as paint stampers and will be making patterns as an Art and Math activity. We will explore apples with a magnifying glass, scale, and our taste buds. We will pretend to make an apple pie in the Sensory Table. We will continue learning how Jesus is our shepherd in Religion. In Handwriting we will continue working on crayon grip, coloring, and tracing.

Book Fair is this week in the Middle School Library! Stop by and shop, and see the Wednesday packet for more information about special events.

Wednesday 9/23 is Pizza Day! Please send money for your child if you have not already done so.

Thursday 9/24 is Spirit Dress! Your child may wear an SPX t-shirt and jeans/shorts.

HOORAY FOR TEDDY BEAR DAY!

SHH! THE BEARS ARE HIBERNATING!

2009-09-13T19:24:00.002-05:00

WEEK OF 9/14/09 - 9/17/09

THEME: Bears

THIS WEEK: We will have a teddy bear picnic in Dramatic Play, make circle bears in Art, hunt for bears in the Sensory Table, sort bears by size and color, and learn about hibernation. We will do an aim and trace activity in our handwriting books. In Religion we will learn that our names are special and that God knows us each by name.

Thurs. Sept. 17 - Pizza forms are due
PTC after school
Fri. Sept. 18 - No School - PTC

COMING ATTRACTIONS:
Sept. 21 - 25 - Book Fair in the Middle School Library
Wed., Sept. 23 - Pizza Day
Thurs. Sept. 24 - Spirit Night - your child may wear Spirit Dress to school

****YOUR CHILD MAY BRING A TEDDY BEAR FROM HOME ON WEDNESDAY (9/16) AND THURSDAY (9/17) FOR SOME FUN ACTIVITIES!

2009-09-07T21:02:00.001-05:00

P.S.

Ms. Iten, our librarian, invites everyone to view her new blog at msitenslibrary.blogspot.com !

2009-09-07T20:50:00.002-05:00

Monday, September 8, 2009

I hope that everyone had a great, relaxing, long weekend! This week in Preschool we will be learning all about colors. We will play in the Preschool Paint Store in Dramatic Play, we will observe two science experiments (mixing colors and liquid layers), we will finger paint in Art, and we will hear the story of Scat the Cat who changes colors "just like that!" In Religion we will learn that Jesus loves and cares for us just like a shepherd cares for his sheep. We will talk about others who love and care for us in our families, school, and the community. We will begin using our Handwriting workbooks. It's going to be a busy week!

Also, picture day is tomorrow and we are scheduled for 8:45 am. Retake day will be Wednesday, October 7.

Next week we have conferences after school on Thursday, Sept. 17 and in the morning on Friday, Sept. 18 (there is no school that day.) Conference times will be sent home on Wednesday and Thursday of this week.

Many thanks to the Krout, Determan, and Burke families for the treasure chest goodies!

2009-08-30T18:52:00.002-05:00

Hello, All! Our theme this week is Shapes. We will be learning all about basic shapes by making a book in Art, singing shape songs and playing shape games. We will also hunt for shapes in the Sensory Table. In Dramatic Play we will be pretending to visit and work at a Beauty Shop. In Religion we will hear a story about Jamal and Abby being welcomed at school. We will also make a "friendship cake." In Handwriting we will learn how to use our wood pieces to make a person called "Mat Man." We will also be talking about the difference between living and non-living things.

Info. for the week:

Tuesday 9/1 and Wednesday 9/2 - Vision Screenings

We are sending home character cut-outs that go along with the Religion program. These are for your child to keep at home. They can use these to retell stories heard at school or simply play with them.

We are in need of donations for our treasure chest. If anyone can help, we need small toys, stickers, etc. to give out for end-of-the-week prizes. These do not need to be new items. Oftentimes, people just clean out the toy box! Yes, things get recycled this way. Also, if you get extra or duplicate happy meal toys, these are great. Thanks for any help with this.

We are sending home a class roster so that you can know the names of the children who are in class with your child (great idea Mrs. Ripp!) The school will be sending out a school directory sometime soon as well.

Have a great week!

2009-08-23T22:07:00.003-05:00

Hello, Everyone! Sorry I didn't post last week. We have been quite busy getting settled in our room and getting adjusted to our routines and each other. Things are going well and I am excited about this great group of kids!

This week our theme is "My Family." Please feel free to send a family photo for your child to share with the class. We will be making family trees in art, graphing the number of people in our families, and passing the puppy around the circle to give each student a chance to share and answer questions about their family. We will also begin our religion and handwriting programs.

Schedules will be sent home this week. Keep in mind that although we try to stick to our posted time frames, we have to be flexible at this age, so times are approximate.

Remember, if you have any questions or concerns, please contact me at school or through email. I think we're off to a great start. Thank you for sharing your wonderful children with me!

Welcome

2009-08-10T10:14:00.001-05:00

Dear Parents and Students,

I want to welcome you to Preschool! We have been working hard all summer to create a new classroom from the old nursery, and I must say, it looks fabulous! I hope that you will be as excited as I am when you come to see it on Wednesday, August 12 from 9:00 - 11:00 for the Meet and Greet. You can bring all of your school supplies and check out the new space.
I am looking forward to meeting you and to getting to know all of the new Preschoolers!
Also, there will be a Back-to-School breakfast for parents in the Parish Hall on Thursday, August 13. Stop by after you drop off your child.

Mrs. Newton