February 21 Newsletter

Mrs. Bali’s First Grade News

February 21, 2025

Review of our week:

We have had a very full week with only 4 days.  Miss Raegan is doing such a great job in our class.  I have been doing some assessing this week.  I am so happy with the progress we are making in our reading.  Please make sure your child is reading every night.  

As a class we have been struggling with not talking and listening to instructions.  We are using a tracker to track our class.  Yesterday, was our first day.  They will be coming home if they have a zero or more than 2 ones, if not they will not be bringing them home.  There were several who realized they weren’t doing what they were supposed to, to be able to get a 2 and changed their behavior.  I hope you will talk to your child if they are bringing these trackers home.  

Upcoming Events:

        *Friday, February 28 – Celebrate Anastin’s ½ Birthday

*Tuesday, March 11 – End of 3rd Quarter

*Tuesday, March 11 – Celebrate Reese’s Birthday

*March 12-14 – No School (Teacher Days)

*Friday, March 21 – Celebrate Ollie’s ½ Birthday

*Friday, March 28 – Celebrate Isabelle’s ½ Birthday

February 14 Newsletter

Mrs. Bali’s First Grade News

February 14, 2025

Review of our week:

We have had a really great week.  Thank you to those of you who helped with the Valentine’s Party.  Doughnuts with Grownups was a huge success.  

In Listening and Learning we are learning about earth.  We finished out our reader, Green Fern Zoo and will be starting a new one next week. We are still working on place value in math. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE make sure your child is reading every night. There are only 3 months of school left. 

Upcoming Events:

        *Monday, February 17 – No School (President’s Day)

*Thursday, February 20 – Celebrate Emi’s ½ Birthday

*Friday, February 28 – Celebrate Anastin’s ½ Birthday

*Tuesday, March 11 – End of 3rd Quarter

*Tuesday, March 11 – Celebrate Reese’s Birthday

*March 12-14 – No School (Teacher Days)

*Friday, March 21 – Celebrate Ollie’s ½ Birthday

*Friday, March 28 – Celebrate Isabelle’s ½ Birthday

January 30 Newsletter

Mrs. Bali’s First Grade News

January 30, 2025

Review of our week:

In our reading program we are reading an informational text about animals.  In listening and learning we are learning about astronomy. In math we working on place value and number to 120.  We have also been doing some reviewing in math.

SEP Week:

February 3-7 is SEP week.  I emailed you a link to sign-up for an SEP time. School will get out at 2:30 each day, except Friday.

Kite Flight Reading Record:

I have attached a reading record.  Every year the Lions Club along with other organizations and businesses sponsor this reading record and Health Fair.  Please keep track of your child’s reading minutes on this reading record as well as the one I send home for class.  THEY DO NO NEED TO READ MORE MINUTES FOR THIS ONE.  You can count their reading minutes for both. The school earns money for each reading record turned in.  This is a great way for our school to earn money. 

Valentine’s Day:

We will be exchanging Valentines in our class.  If your child would like to bring Valentine cards, please make sure there is enough for each child in the class.  I have attached a list of all the students in our class to the email.  You can put names on them, but you don’t have to. If you would like to send your child’s Valentines early, I will just keep them in my office.  If you have any questions, please let me know. If you put a treat with the Valentine, please make sure it is prepackaged. 

Upcoming Events:

        *February 3-7 – SEP Week School gets out at 2:30 except Friday

*Monday, February 3 – Celebrate Mason’s ½ Birthday

*Friday, February  7 – Celebrate Rylan’s ½ Birthday

*Friday, February 7 – Mrs. Bali will be gone

*Monday, February 10 – Celebrate Jesse & Mrs. Bali’s Birthdays

*Friday, February 14 – Donuts with Grownups in the gym @8:15

*Friday, February 14 – Valentine’s Party

*Monday, February 17 – No School (President’s Day)

*Thursday, February 20 – Celebrate Emi’s ½ Birthday

*Monday, March 3 – Celebrate Anastin’s ½ Birthday

*Tuesday, March 11 – End of 3rd Quarter

*Tuesday, March 11 – Celebrate Reese’s Birthday

*March 12-14 – No School (Teacher Days)

*Friday, March 21 – Celebrate Ollie’s ½ Birthday

*Friday, March 28 – Celebrate Isabelle’s ½ Birthday

January 17 Newsletter

Mrs. Bali’s First Grade News

January 17, 2025

Review of our week:

In math we working on equal and nonequal.  We have also been doing some reviewing in math. In CKLA Skills we are reading informational text about animals that live in a zoo.  In Listening and Learning we are learning about our outer space.  This weekend would you please let your child go out after dark and see what they can see in the night sky?

Homework:

After your child has finished reading their book, I would like you to have them tell you what happened in the book and also ask them some questions to clarify.  Most of them are getting to the point where they can decode very well, now we need to start working on comprehension and fluency.  

I have packets of books on each reading level.  If you would be interested in some extra books for your child to read on their reading level, please let me know. 

FYI’s:

* Remember take home books are switched every day, but Fridays.  I have a lot of kids who are not reading their take home books.  This is such a great resource, please take advantage of it.  This is also a crucial time of year with our reading.  I really need them reading for 20 minutes every night.

* Thanks for everything you have done to help our class this year. I really want to thank all of you who come in and read in the mornings. 

* Please watch for SEP sign-up link next week.

Upcoming Events:

        *Monday, January 20 – No School (MLK)

*Friday, January 24 – Celebrate Maya’s Birthday

*Friday, January 24 – Mrs. Bali will be gone

*Monday, January 27 – Celebrate Dash’s Birthday

*Tuesday, January 28 – Celebrate Eleanor’s Birthday

*February 3-7 – SEP Week School gets out at 2:30 except Friday

*Monday, February 3 – Celebrate Mason’s ½ Birthday

*Friday, February  7 – Celebrate Rylan’s ½ Birthday

*Friday, February 7 – Mrs. Bali will be gone

*Monday, February 10 – Celebrate Jesse & Mrs. Bali’s Birthdays

*Friday, February 14 – Donuts with Grownups in the gym @8:15

*Friday, February 14 – Valentine’s Party

*Monday, February 17 – No School (President’s Day)

*Thursday, February 20 – Celebrate Emi’s ½ Birthday

*Tuesday, March 11 – End of 3rd Quarter

*Tuesday, March 11 – Celebrate Reese’s Birthday

*March 12-14 – No School (Teacher Days)

*Friday, March 21 – Celebrate Ollie’s ½ Birthday

*Friday, March 28 – Celebrate Isabelle’s ½ Birthday

January 10 Newsletter

Mrs. Bali’s First Grade News

January 10, 2025

Review of our week:

We wrote some New Year Promises.  I have been really happy with the progress we are making in reading.  Almost everyone has moved up a level. If your child is reading on a J or higher, they won’t move levels in their take home book as often.  We have also been learning about constellations. We are learning about our Solar System.

 

Student Teacher:

We will have a student teacher in our class.  Her name is Miss Raegan and she will be with us until the end of March.  She was actually in our class at the beginning of the year doing some block hours.  It will be great having some extra help.  

F.Y.I’s

*I wanted to thank you all for the wonderful gifts, cards and notes I received at Christmas.  I really do appreciate it.  I meant to send thank you cards, but I ended up sick, so it didn’t happen, sorry. 

*For this time of year your child needs to be on a F-G instructional reading level to be on track for being on grade level for the end of the year.  That means their take home books would be E-F.  Reading for the 20 minutes every night will make the biggest difference.

*Remember that when it snows, your child needs with a coat and snow boots if they want to be out in the snow.

Upcoming Events:

*Monday, January 20 – No School (MLK)

*Friday, January 24 – Celebrate Maya’s Birthday

*Friday, January 24 – Mrs. Bali will be gone

*Monday, January 27 – Celebrate Dash’s Birthday

*Tuesday, January 28 – Celebrate Eleanor’s Birthday

*February 3-7 – SEP Week School gets out at 2:30 except Friday

*Monday, February 3 – Celebrate Mason’s ½ Birthday

*Friday, February  7 – Celebrate Rylan’s ½ Birthday

*Friday, February 7 – Mrs. Bali will be gone

*Monday, February 10 – Celebrate Jesse & Mrs. Bali’s Birthdays

*Friday, February 14 – Donuts with Grownups in the gym @8:15

*Friday, February 14 – Valentine’s Party

*Monday, February 17 – No School (President’s Day)

*Thursday, February 20 – Celebrate Emi’s ½ Birthday

*Tuesday, March 11 – End of 3rd Quarter

*Tuesday, March 11 – Celebrate Reese’s Birthday

*March 12-14 – No School (Teacher Days)

*Friday, March 21 – Celebrate Ollie’s ½ Birthday

*Friday, March 28 – Celebrate Isabelle’s ½ Birthday

December 6 Newsletter

Mrs. Bali’s First Grade News

December 6, 2024

Review of our week:

In math we working on comparing numbers.  We have been doing some fun Christmas things. On Tuesday we will be doing our Dibels assessment.  Please make sure your child is doing some reading this weekend and on Monday.  I will also send home a page of nonsense words.

Homework:

I know this time of year is very busy.  Remember to have your child keep reading.  Please encourage your child to fill out a tree right after they are finished reading, so you don’t have to try and remember at the end of the month how many days they read.

Gingerbread Houses:

We will be making our gingerbread houses on Wednesday, December 18 at 2:00.  You are all welcome to come.  It is nice to have some helpers.  We usually need some help with the frosting.     If you can send it by Friday, December 13, that will be great.  That way I will know what I will need to buy.

Upcoming Events:

*Monday, December 9 – Mrs. Bali will be gone (Please talk to your child about being good for the sub.)

*Wednesday, December 18 – Make Gingerbread Houses @2:00

*Friday, December 20 – Christmas Party

*Friday, December 20 – End of 2nd Quarter

*December 23-January 6 – No School

November 22 Newsletter

Mrs. Bali’s First Grade News

November 22, 2024

Review of our week:

Miss Lainey from SUU had her last day yesterday.  We have really enjoyed having her in our class and will miss her. We have been working on different addition strategies. Reading fables in our readers. We are all making so much progress in our reading.  Thank you for reading with your child at home. We have been doing some fun Thanksgiving things. 

Homework:

I know this time of year is very busy. Please encourage your child to fill out their reading record right after they are finished reading, so you don’t have to try and remember at the end of the month how many days they read.

Cold Weather:

I know the weather is changing every day, please make sure your child is coming with a coat.  We go out to recess unless it is raining, snowing or below freezing.  Also, when there is snow they need to have snow boots on to go out in the snow.  If they don’t, they will have to stay on the blacktop.

Gingerbread Houses:

We are going to be making gingerbread houses on Wednesday, December 18 at 2:00 (I changed the time from 1:30).  We could still use a couple of bags of candy.  You can either sign up on the Signup-Genius or just send them in. The candy can be M&M’s, small candy canes, peppermints, smarties or anything else you think would look nice on a gingerbread house.  Thank you for those of you who have already sent things.

I would like to invite all parents come in and help with the gingerbread houses.  If you would like to donate something please have it here by Friday, December 13, so I will know if I need to get anything and I can have it all sorted. Thank you for those of you who have already donated things.

Upcoming Events:

*Tuesday, November 26 – Thanksgiving Feast

*November 27-29 – No School (Thanksgiving Break)

*Monday, December 9 – Mrs. Bali will be gone

*Wednesday, December 18 – Make Gingerbread Houses @2:00

*Friday, December 20 – Christmas Party

*Friday, December 20 – End of 2nd Quarter

*December 23-January 6 – No School