Monday January 30-Thursday February 2

Happy Thursday families! We have had a minor round of illness visit. I am reminding your children to please wash their hands with soap and water for at least the duration of the Happy Birthday song or while they sing ABC's, use hand sanitizer when you can't wash, to catch their coughs and sneezes in the crook of their elbow and to keep their hands to themselves. Please help keep up healthy by reminding them and following through at home too. 

This week we have been a little light on Saxon Math. Your children were amazing for MAPS testing. Most of them are excited and seem to love it. 

Riggs: We have learned our last 3 phonograms for kindergarten: wh, ui and oa. 

Saxon Math: We learned how to add two to a number, both odd and even. We learned how to fill a shape with pattern blocks and count and record how many of each we used. We also had a Math Facts test and a Written Assessment.

Core Knowledge: We learned about some of the symbols of the United States. Mt. Rushmore, the American flag, the White House and the Statue of Liberty. 

Today we learned about Groundhog's Day and read two books about it. We also did a directed drawing of a groundhog. 

For our visiting animals field trip on February 24 here are the animals that Critter Cabana is bringing: Please let me know if your child has any allergies. The animal is brought out, handled by the caretaker then put back in it's cage/tank. There is a small petting zoo portion at the end.

--small bird (conure)

--large bird (cockatoo)

--hedgehog

--bunny and/or guinea pig

--ferret or fancy rat or fancy hamster

--sugar glider (depending upon availability)

Dates to remember: 

• Friday, February 3rd and Friday February 10th are conferences. Here is the sign up link: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090e49a9ae2ba3fc1-february 
• February 6-February 10th is MAPS makeup. I send students down to the lab as needed.
• Tuesday, February 14th is Valentines Day. We will celebrate with a homemade card exchange at the very end of the day. 
• Monday, February 20th is Presidents Day. There is no school.
• Friday, February 24th is a school field trip day. We have Critter Cabana, Zoo School and Reptile Man coming. Let me know if you want to come!
• Thursday, March 2nd is Family Reading Night. Come enjoy a book and a craft together. 
• Monday, March 27th to Thursday, March 30th is Spring Vacation. No school. 
• Friday, April 21st Clackamas County Recycling Partnership is coming out to us to talk about how to help take care of the Earth. I am working on getting a tour of the ReBuilding Center too. 
• Friday, May 19th field trip to Portland State Learning Gardens and 7 Dees.