October 31st Newsletter

Dear Parents,
It is hard to believe that tomorrow is November!!
Miss Minty begins her practicum on Monday and will be gradually taking over more of the teaching program. I will continue to be in the room, supporting both Miss Minty and the children. This is a wonderful opportunity for me to strengthen my relationship with the children and offer support for even more creative invitations through art. 
Mrs King and I have applied for a Art Grant inviting our colleagues to delve deeper into an art medium with their students. This will provide funding for me to purchase high quality art materials and tools for your child. 
I have been collecting literacy assessment and sharing with families, on FreshGrade, as each child is completed. This information will inform my program as I plan the new literacy activities for November/December. 
Our November Show and Tell Schedule will go home on Monday and begin next week. This should provide families with time to support their child with this very popular activity.
Scholastic has changed their program this year and parents can order directly online using our classroom code, RC232105.Books will be mailed directly to families. Orders over $35.00 receive free shipping and under $35. will have a small fee of $3.50 added to their bill.  Our class will receive a credit to purchase books for birthday gifts and student book boxes. Books are usually received within 7-10 days however December can take longer so be sure to order your books early. Thank you for supporting this program.
Daily Five will begin this month, twice weekly, with the children flowing from one literacy strand to another.
Our poetry books are well underway and will go home on Thursday for the weekend. Please return on Monday so that a new page can be added and your child can continue to practice the poems during their daily independent reading.
The family home reading bags are being prepared and I hope to send them home next week. Each bag has five books and remain with your family for one week. I will send a new bag home each Friday and ask that you return it the following Wednesday. That will provide me with a turn around day. If you do not want to participate in this program please let me know and I will remove your name from the list.
The children have continued with our Kindness Inquiry and have begun to investigate what makes them happy. I have used Monique Gray Smith's book, My Heart Fills With Happiness, to provoke the children's curiosity and inspire our shared conversations. This week we will use our water colour paints to create hearts with your child's response to the prompt "what makes you happy". I have been collecting them and have to say they are mostly about family 💕. We will have to find a place to hang their work but our room is filling up with celebrating your child's beautiful work.
They have also begun to collaborate on a chandelier using our colourful heart and star beads combined with colourful buttons. We are beginning to imagine where to hang it and the current idea being floated by the children is the cubby.

Our Family Hopes and Dreams project is looking beautiful. If you have not yet done your project please send it in so that it can be added to our display. These heartfelt gifts will be returned to families in June.