~ Last Week of October ~

Hello everyone!

Thanks for checking in on the blog!  First thing, a quick reminder to all parents that EACH STUDENT needs to bring in 1 pumpkin for Monday, October 24^th.  We will keep these pumpkins at the school until the 27^th or 28^th (definitely in time for you to carve them at home for Halloween!) and we will be using them all week for different Math activities!  Please put the students’ initials somewhere tiny near the stem or underneath the pumpkin perhaps, just so we don’t get confused.  Thanks!  

Thanks to those parents who were able to come and hang out during our field trip to the Galt Museum!  We had a blast with Belinda as we learned about Early Lethbridge and why people came here.  

Thank you as well to Constable Ian Patey, who came in on Wednesday to teach all the Grade 2 classes about the history of the RCMP, and to answer questions!  Students got to take home awesome treat bags, and we learned a lot from him.

Last week, a purple sheet was sent home in regards to some Math Facts!  We’ve talked in the classroom how in Grade 2 we need to be quick with our Math Facts to 10, and be able to see the relation between addition and subtraction.  We practise this every morning with our Domino of the Day, and ask that you practise this at home with your student.  

It’s good to see some of our MMH students at After School Skating at Nicholas Sheran arena!  There are 4 more of these left on Tuesdays from 3:30- 4:30.  Each student needs their own skates and helmet- if you don’t have a helmet, we have some you can borrow at the rink.  

Since Halloween falls on a Monday, our Halloween parade will start at 12:45.  Come on out and watch the fun costumes go by as we parade around the school!  Remember, this year, we are encouraging students to have simple, easy to put on costumes!! The easier the costume, the better- as we don’t want line ups at the bathroom, or anyone needing major assistance with face painting, etc.  If your child has a costume that can easily be put on or slipped over their clothes that would be fantastic!!  Also, please do not send scary weapons/ props with your student to school.  We will parade around the school from approx.. 12:45 to 1:15.  Afterwards, we will be doing Halloween activities for the remainder of the afternoon, and enjoying our Halloween treats at 2:05. 

Thanks to those parents who have signed up to bring treats that day for our 25 students:

Jordin- Fruit Tray
Aaron- Veggie Tray
Nicole- Cheese, Meat, and Cracker Tray
Ainsley- Cookies, cupcakes or muffins
Juice boxes- Elora
Plates and Napkins- Morgan

You'll notice on the calendar below, that our class is holding Parent/ Teacher interviews at a different time than others.  I often find that with parent teacher interviews it's difficult to stay on time so I'd like to hold this year's interviews on other days to allow us more opportunities to meet.  Please note, that while these interviews are mandatory, I am more than happy to meet with you at a different time if the suggested ones do not work with your schedule.  There will be a notice sent home with interview times for the evenings of Monday, November 21st and Tuesday November 22nd. Meeting before school on both of these days is also an option as well.   I will let you know well in advance when this notice goes home.  

That's all for now!  Enjoy the beautiful autumn weather!

-Anna Tsentouros

Here are some important dates for your November calendars:  

November dates:
Tuesday October 25^th- Retakes! 

Tuesday October 25th- After School Skate at Nic Sheran 3:30-4:30
Tuesday November 1^st- After School Skate at Nic Sheran
Tuesday November 8^th – After School Skate at Nic Sheran
Wednesday November 9^th- Remembrance Day Assembly 10:30 am
Wednesday Novmeber 9^th- School Council meeting at 6pm 
Thursday November 10th Fall Break No School
 Friday November 11^th Fall Break No School 
Tuesday November 15^th- After School Skate at Nic Sheran
Wednesday November 16^th Spirit Assembly @ 830am: PJ Day Friday November 18^th Report Cards sent home 
Monday November 21^st- Oreo Cookie Day (details to follow)

Monday November 21st  PT Interviews for Grade 2B
Tuesday November 22^nd- PT Interviews for Grade 2B
Thursday November 24^th – Friday November 25^th- No School
Wednesday November 30^th- Character Education Assembly in pm

October News!

Hello parents and Happy Friday!!  Just a few items to let you know about:

 

Short and Sweet!!

We are taking the bus to the Galt Museum on Tuesday afternoon.  Thanks to the parents of Byron, Nicole, Cathrine, Jordin, and Brooke R. .  If you are taking the bus with us please be at the school by 12:25, as the bus picks us up for 12:30.  If you are meeting us at the museum, our program begins at 12:50.  We will be done at 2:20 and return to school at 2:30ish.

There is no spelling or sight words next week due to the 3 day school week.  Please use this time to review the sight words we have had to date.  J

Halloween is on October 31.  We ask that students bring a simple slip-on costume to school.  They can quickly change into it at lunch time.  We hope to have the most amount of instructional time as possible that day and save the Halloween fun for the afternoon.  We hope you can join us to participate in the costume parade at 12:30.

For the week of October 24-28 each child needs to have a pumpkin at school.  We will be measuring, weighing, and comparing our pumpkins.  They will come home on Friday October 28 in time for families to carve them on the weekend.  Please let your child pick out their “perfect pumpkin” for this activity.  Thanks!

Last but not least- A huge thank you to those who purchased books at the Scholastic Book Fair for our classroom! I'm really excited to show the kids and to have some fun with them in the room!!  Your continued support is very much appreciated :)

Enjoy your weekends! 

-Anna Tsentouros

Happy Thanksgiving!

Friday already?! Where has the week gone!!

On Thursday, we started our Fire Prevention and Safety unit.  Students started exploring the Sparky the Fire Dog Website, and next week we have a guest speaker from the fire department coming in. On Thursday, your child brought home some Fire Safety homework. Please help them create a map of your home, complete with an exit route and meeting place.  I realize your weekends will be packed with Turkey and deliciousness, so I’ve asked they be returned on (or before) Wednesday October 12^th. 

*NOTE* One student's homework ended up on the coat room floor!!! If this homework belongs to do, you could just do your house floorplan on a blank sheet of paper from home, or grab an extra copy on Tuesday. 

Students have done an awesome job with their Data Analysis review sheets, so we’ve been working on our test these past few days.  Next we’ll move into some basic counting and practise with numbers.  If your child is pretty quick with counting by 2s, 5s, and 10s, try asking them to count but at different starting points (like in the middle of the 100 chart or on an odd number) or backwards.  Get them to practise their listening skills by asking questions like, “Can you count by 5s, backwards, from 85 to 25?”

Science: Magnet tests will get marked this weekend (in between turkey dinners!) and next week we’ll kick off learning about Liquids. Discovering Liquids is always a fun and messy time.   

After Thanksgiving, we will begin one of my favourite writing projects in Grade 2: Our Halloween/ Fall book.  This year’s book will focus on writing based on our five senses, and it gives students a chance to really practise using their juicy words and begin the editing process from their sloppy copy to their good copy. 

We are all set to go for our field trip to Fort Whoop Up on Wednesday October 12^th! Thanks to the following parents who have volunteered to drive:

Cathrine’s Mom
Zane’s Dad
Aaron’s Mom
Brooke’s Mom
Aries' Dad
Byron’s Mom

Please be at the school for about 12:40ish, as we are due to be at the Fort from 1:00- 2:30. 

SCHOLASTIC BOOK FAIR AT MMH!  The scholastic book fair will be set up in the library, and is open ALL DAY (but closed over lunch).  Parents and younger siblings are welcome to visit the book fair at ANY TIME.  Our class will be going twice: once on October 13^th at 11:15 (our usual library time), and then again on Friday the 14^th for about 15 minutes in the morning.  If you wish to shop with your child at the book fair, you can come and excuse them from class and quickly take them through.  On our first visit, students can fill out their Wish List of what they want / prices, bring it home on Thursday, and then shop on Friday. If you send money in your students agenda, I can keep it safe for them. 

As many of you participate in scholastic orders throughout the year, and have other commitments, please remember, this is completely optional and you shouldn’t feel pressured to buy anything! And I will remind students of that on this end J

Our Grade 2 class met their MMH Families for the very first time on Wednesday, and watched an amazing assembly about something new called the Bucket Philosophy at our school.  It’s based on the book “Have you Filled a Bucket Today?” and it’s a really awesome idea that encourages everyone to use positive encouragement to be a Bucket Filler.  Here’s a link for you to watch if you’re interested I bringing the bucket philosophy into your home:

Bucket Philosophy

Hot Lunch forms are due October 12^th, for the lunch on October 19^th. If your form disappeared in a backpack, please ask the office for a new one.

Life Touch Picture orders are due on October 14^th. If you’d like retakes, please select “retakes”, and return the package.  Picture Retake Day is October 25^th. 

Last but not least, don’t forget about the Free Skate our school puts on at Nicholas Sheran arena.  Our next date is Tuesday October 11^th from 3:30- 4:30. Students require their own skates and helmets (as there are limited ones to borrow) and need their own rides to and from the arena.  If there is anyone from our class who would really like to go, but is stuck for a ride TO the arena, please email me.  

That’s all for now!

Have a great weekend with your families.

-Anna Tsentouros

~FaLliNg LeAvEs fALLiNg LeAveS~

Hi everyone!  

I can't believe how fast the first month of September has flown by!  October is going to be just as busy as we are able to wrap up a few things and start on some more!  

First off, I just wanted to send a thanks out to those parents who were able to come and help out for our Galt Gardens field trip! The students always learn great information on this trip and we had a beautiful day for it!  Our next field trip to Fort Whoop Up is on Wednesday October 12th from 1:00 to 2:00.  We have had lots of parent drivers sign up to help but I think we are still in need of a driver for 3 more students.  If you're able to help us out that would be great! Even if your can just do pick ups and drop offs it's always a help.  

This week in particular there are lots of things going on at MMH.  The first is the kick off of our Character Education Assemblies.  There will be a  number of these throughout the year, as we are focusing on Character Education from Kindergarten to Grade 5.  What will happen is that on Wednesday October 5th, all students at MMH will be divided into their MMH "Families".  Each family will consist of 1 teacher, along with approx. 25 students from all grade levels.  On Wednesday, students will meet with their Families for the first time, to discuss the months Character Education theme.  In particular, September and October we are focusing on "Making a Difference: Bucket Philosophy".  Then, after we have met with our families to discuss the the theme, we will move into the gym for our first Character Education Assembly at 1:25.  I think our Grade 2s in particular are really going to enjoy getting split up with the whole school, as it will give them an opportunity to not only meet new teachers, but to meet new students at different Grade levels!  I'm so excited for this to kick off this week!  

Along with our first Character Ed. Assembly, we will also be having our first Science test, regarding our units on Magnets.  Students will bring home their Magnet Unit (Monday or Tuesday), and then we will have our test on Wednesday.  Please go over their units with them to help them prepare, and also go over their Notebook Evaluation that will be stapled to the front.  

We will also be kicking off our Home Reading program this week- probably on Wednesday!  Your child will be bringing home one book that is at their reading level from Monday to Thursday- There will be no home reading on Friday.  Along with their book, they will also have a Home Reading Log Book.  This is a place for parents to write the title of the book, the date it was read, as to leave me a comment about how their reading was.  The comment section does not have to be complete every night, but it would be very helpful if you left a comment for the first couple of nights, in regards to the reading level of the book. For example, you could just write something small like "Just right" , or "Too hard", or "Did Great!".  

The reading program that the Grade 2s use is called Reading A to Z.  It consists of levelled books, both fiction and non fiction.  It's important to note that even within levels, there are harder books, and easier books.  Levels are determined by the students reading capabilities, as well as their comprehension.  Quite often at this age, students can read a text well, but their comprehension might not be as high.  You can assist in this by watching for errors, asking questions about the text, and just having conversations about what they just read.  

I understand that home lives can be quite busy, and that sometimes it will be difficult to find the time to read 1 book per night. I want the students (and parents!) to enjoy home reading, and not for it to be a pain!!  If you find that there are some nights where you couldn't find the time, please just comment in the log book and ask for the same book again, and that way our Home Reading Parent Helper will know not to switch it.  Thank you in advance for the time you put in with your child in this area!

For those parents who signed up for Home Reading Exchange at the beginning of the year, I will be emailing you later this week in regards to what days/ times, and you can start coming in next week.  

Thank you to those people who brought in cans!   Please keep 'em coming!  If you read the MMH newsletter, our school Art Room is also collecting big Yogurt containers and lids as well!  

I've added a few days to the October Calendar-  such as the Scholastic Book Fair and our first Hot Lunch date!  Watch for more info coming home about these events.  

I think that's it for now!

Here's to a great week!

-Anna Tsentouros

OCTOBER

Tuesday 4th- First After School Skate: 4-5 @ Nic Sheran 

Wednesday 5th- WALK TO SCHOOL DAY 

Wednesday 5th- Character Education Assembly 1:25-1:55

Monday 10th- Thanksgiving Day- No school

Tuesday 11th- After School Skate 4-5 @ Nic Sheran Arena

Wednesday 12th- Fort Whoop Up Field trip 1-2:30

Wednesday 12th- School Council Meeting @ 7pm

Thursday 13th- Friday 14th- Scholastic Book Fair at MMH!

Friday 14th- Morgan's Special Friday

Tuesday 18th- Galt Museum Field Trip 12:30-2:30

Tuesday 18th- After School Skate 4-5 @ Nic Sheran Arena

Wednesday 19th- Hot Lunch!

Wednesday 19th- RCMP Guest Speaker for Grade 2s

Thursday 20th- Friday 21st- Professional Learning Day for Teachers, No School for Students

Tuesday 25th- Picture Retake Day

Tuesday 25th- After School Skate 4-5 @ Nic Sheran Arena

Friday 28th- Brooke T. Special Friday

Monday 31st- Halloween Parade