Rock Your Mocs Day Monday Nov. 17th!

Hi everyone!
Just a quick reminder that Monday Nov. 17^th is Rock Your Mocs day at MMH! This means that if you have a comfy pair of moccasins please wear them to school to support our FMNI community! If you do not have a pair, don’t worry, the kids will have a chance to make a paper version and wear those instead!
　
PS-Remember that Tuesday NOV. 18^TH you get to wear your jammies to school and bring your teddy bear! There will be a spirit assembly in the gym at 8:30.

November News!

Hi everyone!
Thank you so much to everyone who helped organize the Halloween Parties and for providing treats, creating amazing costumes, and joining us for pictures and parading! What a fun day!

Also a huge thank you to everyone who contributed to our Feed The Bug campaign. It was a huge success and our school was able to feed many families in need! The grade one students were very excited to be helping people in our community and learning how to be good citizens!

This upcoming week we will be talking about Remembrance Day and the significance of this holiday. There will be a special assembly in the gym at 10:30 and if your child participates in sparks or cubs, they are invited to wear their uniform and be part of the colour guard during the assembly. There will be announcements made this week about practise days for these children, please email your teacher if your child has a uniform and would like to participate. We would also really appreciate if you could chat with your child about this special day, and what things they might think of during the minute of silence, and remind them that we do not clap after performances on this day.

Our school will soon be starting the Sock It To 'Em program which will run from Nov. 3- Dec. 12! This is where students can bring in new socks to donate for those in need during the winter season. There will be an enormous stocking hanging in the office, and our Caretaking team will collect socks to hang them from the stocking.
Your child’s classroom teacher will soon be starting a themed unit on “Bears”. This theme will encompass all areas of the curriculum including Language Arts, Science, Math, Art, and even P.E.!

Parent Teacher Interviews

This year you will be asked to sign up for a time slot using conference manager unless you are in Mrs. Johnston’s class. She will be booking appointments and sending home additional information soon. Otherwise, the process for booking interviews is as follows:

Step 1 – You can Pre-Register at https://mikemountain.schoolsoft.ca DO NOT
include “www” in the url) You can set up a Parent Account by following the link above. Click the REGISTER NOW button and complete the registration form. Your login credentials (email and password) will remain in the system to make it easy to access the Conference Manager in the future. Please note that in order to enhance functionality and security, the Conference Manager requires you to use Internet Explorer 7 (or above), Firefox 3 (or above) or Safari 4 (or above). If you are using an older browser, the Conference Manager will automatically prompt you to update your browser and provide you with a link. This is a one-time process and only takes a couple of minutes.
In order to ensure that your email program does not block emails sent from the Conference Manager, we suggest adding appointments@schoolsoft.ca to your address book.

Step 2 – Conference Manager Opens to Parents – Thursday November 13 at 8:00 A.M.

You can access the Parent Login Page using the link in the Confirmation Email. If you do not receive a Confirmation Email, you can login by going directly to https://mikemoutain.schoolsoft.ca.
Step 3 – Book your Parent/Teacher interviews

Select the teachers with whom you want to book interviews. You will see each teacher’s schedule. After booking your appointments you can print off your schedule. You will also receive an email containing the teacher name, time and location of the conference. You can log into the system at any time to view your bookings, print, cancel or re-schedule appointments. You have the option of submitting comments or questions to the teacher as part of the booking process.

Important Dates For Interviews:

Anytime – Pre-Registration begins
Thursday November 13 – Start scheduling your interviews at 8:00 A.M.
Wednesday, November 19 – Conference Manager closes at 12 noon
Wednesday and Thursday, November 19&20 —Kindergarten only— all day interviews
Thursday, November 20– Parent/Teacher Interviews Grades 1 to 5, afternoon/evening
Friday November 21 — Parent/Teacher Interviews for Grade 1 to 5, in the morning
If you do not have Internet access, you are welcome to contact the office and we will schedule your conferences on your behalf. If you have any questions or need assistance, please feel free to con-tact the school at 403.381.2211.

Other Important Dates For November:

November 3, 17, 24 : Mind Masters program 9:00am-10am
November 3, 17, 24: Book Mobile after school with Mrs. Baker
November 3-Dec 12: Sock It To’Em Campaign
November 7: Remembrance Day Assembly @ 10:30am
November 10: No School: Fall Break!
November 11: No School: Remembrance Day
November 12: School Council Meeting @ 6:30pm
November 13: Conference Manager Opens
November 14: Report Cards come home
November 18: Hot Lunch Day & Pajama Day & Bring Your Teddy Bear!
November 19: Conference Manager closes
November 20: Book Fair in the Library & regular classes in am with students dismissed at 11:45/Parent teacher conferences afternoon/eveningNovember 21: No School for students/ Book Fair closes at 11:30/ Parent teacher conferences

WHEW! That was one long post! Congratulations if you made it to the end!

Report Cards Are Coming!

Report cards will be coming home on Friday November 14th. There are some big changes you will notice between a Kindergarten report card and a Grade One report card. If you haven’t seen a Grade 1 report card, they are divided into sections. The first being Personal Growth, and then into separate subject areas. The grading scheme is different than kindergarten, and is as follows:

For Personal Growth & Effort:

V- Very Good

A- Acceptable

N- Needs improvement

For Subject Areas:

4 Excellent achievement of grade level expectations

3  Meeting grade level expectations

2 Approaching grade level expectations

1 Not meeting grade level expectations

You’ll notice that the two major areas on the report card are Language Arts and Math strands. Please keep in mind that the expectations in these subject areas change throughout the year- for example the reading level goal for June is much higher than the reading level goal in November. In Science and Social, we focus on different units throughout all reporting periods.  You will also notice the term N/A on  report cards which simply means not assessed at this time.  This is because we are still too early in the year to assess some skills.

 It’s quite the step up from half day to full day school, and each and every day we focus on things like  how to be part of our classroom "team" and  work together! All kids are learning how to be friends that support one another and solve problems.  We are helping them develop into responsible students who can make good choices for themselves in years to come.  Thanks for all you do at home to reinforce these skills!

Hi everyone!

Thanks for checking the blog on this beautiful Autumn day!  Our school calendar is starting to fill up so please make sure that if you have any questions about what’s going on, just ask your Grade 1 Teacher!

Here’s the news for the next few weeks:

The Grade 1 team is looking for donations of a few pairs of pants!  If you have any stretchy/ elastic waist sweat pants that your child doesn’t wear anymore, we would be happy to take them off your hands! This is in case students have accidents at school, and they need a change of clothes. 

We have been doing sight word check ins and wow!  They are really coming along!  Keep up the great work with practicing at home! Many students have shared how they have flashcards at home, and are playing memory or match games which is AWESOME!  We will continue to add new sight words per week, and will practice with them in class.  Thank you for your help with this!

A reminder that next week the students will be dismissed at 11:45 on Thursday, October 23^rd, and that there is no school on Friday October 24^th.  Please make sure you have arrangements for your students, especially on the Thursday as it’s an irregular dismissal time!

The Grade 1 Book Mobile club is meeting on Mondays right after school.  In the past, some students have kept their library card in a freezer sized Ziplock bag, and then they can use that bag for their book mobile books as well.  Please email Nicole.baker@lethsd.ab.ca if you have any questions about this club!

It has been so impressive seeing the boxes and boxes of food being donated to the Lethbridge Food Bank for our Feed the Bug Campaign!  The discussions that we’ve been having in class are so valuable, and it’s wonderful to see so many students being involved in such an important service project.  We are overwhelmed with the support we have received from families in donations-  Thank you thank you! Let’s keep Feeding The Bug up until the 22^nd of October! We will have a spirit assembly in the courtyard at 12:30 on that day, and all the students are invited to wear Blue and Gold for this day.

Well, the most exciting day of the October calendar is coming up- Halloween! Students have been counting down for a long time, and we will be starting to prepare them with some Halloween activities in class.  On Friday, October 31^st, students are invited to wear their costumes for our School Parade, which will begin around 8:45am.  Parents are invited to line the halls if they wish to come and watch as we parade around the school. 

As this day often brings lots of excitement (and in order for it to run smoothly), please have your student already wearing their costume when they get to school, as teachers won’t have time before the parade to help everyone.  As per usual school policy, we ask that any weapons or full-faced masks not be worn to school. If your child’s costume is particularly gory or scary, we ask that they not wear it to school.  If you signed up at the beginning of the year to bring snacks for Halloween, your classroom teacher will be contacting you. 

I think that’s it for now! Have a wonderful weekend

Your Grade 1 Teachers

Here  are some dates to mark your calendars with:

Tuesday October 21^st- Picture Retake Day and Grade 1-3 Hot lunch

Wednesday October 22^nd- Grades 4-5 Hot Lunch and Spirit Assembly @ 12:30, wear blue and gold!

Thursday October 23^rd- Students dismissed at 11:45

Friday October 24^th- PL Day

Friday October 31^st- Halloween celebrations

Monday November 10^th- Remembrance Day Break, no school

Tuesday November 11^th- Remembrance Day

Friday November 14^th- Report Cards sent home

Thursday November 20^th and 21^st- Parent/ Teacher interviews

Bookmobile Club for Grade 1s

Please keep an eye out for a permission form coming home regarding the Book Mobile Club!  If you have any questions after reading the form, please contact Mrs. Baker at nicole.baker@lethsd.ab.ca

This club is starting at perfect timing as the Grade 1s are heading to the Crossings Branch Library soon!  Please make sure your child is dressed properly for the weather for the field trip.

Thank you!

Hi everyone!

Thanks for checking in on the blog. Wow did our Grade 1s ever do an awesome job on our big Terry Fox Walk!  Thank you for your support with this amazing campaign.  It was awesome to hear how the students earned their pledges or their “Toonie for Terry”.  We were tired when it was all said and done, but the students sure felt proud!

Please keep an eye out for a note coming home asking for volunteers for our Crossings Branch Library field trip. As that is another big walk, we want to make sure students are dressed appropriately for the weather that day as well!

In Language Arts, we are finishing up a letter sound review, and will soon start blending sounds together for reading words.  If you’re finding your child is still not confident with their letter sounds, please contact your teacher and ask how you can help with this at home.  This is the strong foundation that will build the confidence that kids need to LOVE reading!  Don’t forget to keep practising with SIGHT WORDS!  Remember, students do not need to know how to spell sight words at this time, but they do need to be able to recognize and read them quickly. 

In October, we will be starting our Home Reading Program.  It is an expectation that students read at least 15 minutes EVERYDAY! Please keep an eye out for a detailed note that explains home reading, as we will be offering two different programs, and you need to respond with your preference. 

In Social Studies we’ve been talking about belonging to different groups, such as our family, friends, school, and any extra activities. In Science, we’re continuing with learning about Colours.  We’ve learned about natural and manufactured colours, and have been mixing primary colours to make secondary colours.

We are looking for some parent volunteers who would be willing to help with Grade 1 Recycling.  Our recycle bin needs to be emptied and brought into the depot once a week.  If you are willing to help us out with this that would be greatly appreciated! The money collected from recycling will be put towards renting school buses for Grade 1 field trips.  If this is something you’re interested in, please let your Grade 1 Teacher know ASAP and we can work out a schedule!

 This week, your Grade 1 Teacher will be filling out a Mini Progress Report about your student’s progress so far this year.  Please talk to your teacher if you have any questions or concerns with the report! 

Have a wonderful weekend with your families!

Here’s the dates for October for your calendars:

Tuesday October 7^th- Crossings Branch Field Trip.
(Payne and Fallwell’s class in the AM, Johnston and Tsentouros’ class in the pm)
Wednesday October 8^th- Firefighter presentation
Monday October 13^th- Happy Thanksgiving! No School!
Tuesday October 14^th- PL Day- No School!
Wednesday October 15^th-22^nd- Feed the Bug Campaign
Tuesday October 21^st- Picture Retake Day
Wednesday October 22^nd- Spirit Assembly @ 12:30
Thursday October 23^rd-PL Day in the PM, students dismissed @ 11:45
Friday October 24^th- PL Day-No School
Friday October 31^st- Happy Halloween! Details to come!

 

 

 

Hot Lunch Days for the Whole Year!

I know we all look forward to those hot lunch days when we can take a break from packing lunches! Now you will  have the dates for Grade 1-3 for the whole year! If you have older children remember that Grades 4,5,6 are the following day. Enjoy!

 

Oct. 21

Nov. 18

Dec. 9

Jan. 27

Feb. 24

March 24

April 28

May 26

June TBA