April 4 Newsletter

Mrs. Bali’s First Grade News

April 4, 2025

Review of our week:

We have had a really great week.  We are working on breaking shapes into halves and fourths.  We just started on our unit in Listening and Learning about Fairy Tales.  We are doing really well in our reading unit.  We only have a couple more weeks with take home books, please take advantage of this great resource.  

Flat Stanley:

We read the story Flat Stanley.  It is about a boy who is flat and his parents mail him to visit a friend in California.  I have included a letter explaining all about our activity.  Please pick someone who will have fun with this activity for your child.  Please send me an address as soon as possible.

Mountain Eye Institute’s Kite Flight:

I am sending home another copy of the reading calendar.  Remember these are the same minutes your child has been reading for class.  If you are unable to make it, see if a neighbor or someone can drop it off.  The PTA gets money for each calendar that is turned in.  It is a great fundraiser for the school.  It is Saturday, April 26 at Cedar Middle School from 10:00-3:00.

FYIs:

*I have a few things that won’t be coming up for a while, but I won’t be doing a newsletter next week.

*Miss Raegan’s last day will be the Tuesday after Spring Break.  She has been a great addition to our class.  We will really miss her.

Upcoming Events:

*Wednesday, April 9 – Celebrate Wyatt’s Birthday

        *Thursday, April 10 – Celebrate Skylar’s Birthday

*April 14-18 – No School (Spring Break)

*Monday, April 21 – Celebrate Ronix’ Birthday

*Tuesday, April 22 – Celebrate Lilly’s Birthday

*Tuesday, April 22 – Miss Raegan’s Last Day

*Wednesday, April 23 – Celebrate Emmett’s Birthday

*Saturday, April 26 – Kite Flight 10-3 @CMS

*Thursday, May 1 – Celebrate Fynn’s Birthday

*Monday, May 5 – Acadiance Math Testing

*Wednesday, May 7 – Acadiance Reading Testing (DIBELS)

*Friday, May 9 – Celebrate Ari’s Birthday

*Monday, May 12 – Acadiance Math Testing

*Monday, May 19 – Field Day

*Wednesday, May 21 – Color Run

*Friday, May 23 – Last Day of School

***If I have missed anyone’s birthday, please let me know.  We have had several new students and a lot of summer birthdays.

March 27 Newsletter

Mrs. Bali’s First Grade News

March 27, 2025

Review of our week:

We finished our reading unit and started a new one.  We are working on a narrative writing piece. In math we are working on geometry.  In listening and learning we are still doing our unit on animals and their habitats.

Take Home Books and Reading:

Please make sure your child is doing their reading every night.  Everyone is making progress right now. I can really tell those who are doing their reading homework.  There are a lot of students who are not bringing their take home books back.  Please make sure your child is reading their books and bringing them back every day.  This is a great resource, please take advantage of it.  

I have also included the login information for Raz Kids again.  I will be sending home some fluency passages that you can have your child read at home.  

Attendance:

Our school has been trying to improve our attendance this year.  I understand that sometimes you are out of town and I appreciate you not sending your child to school sick, but I can’t teach them if they aren’t here.  Our class has had 263 absences and 276 tardies this year.  We have only had 23 days when everyone has been here. We only have 7 weeks of school left, please try to make sure your child is at school and here on time.  Also, if your child is eating school breakfast, please make sure they are here early enough to eat and get to class on time.  

Dress Code:

Mr. Oldroyd made an announcement yesterday reminding students about the dress code.  If shorts or skirts are too short, the office will call you to bring clothes for your child to change. I forwarded the dress code policy. Also, it is still cool some days, please still send your child with a jacket.

Upcoming Events:

*Thursday, April 10 – Celebrate Skylar’s Birthday

*April 14-18 – No School (Spring Break)

*Monday, April 21 – Celebrate Ronix’ Birthday

*Tuesday, April 22 – Celebrate Lilly’s Birthday

*Wednesday, April 23 – Celebrate Emmett’s Birthday

*Thursday, May 1 – Celebrate Fynn’s Birthday

*Friday, May 9 – Celebrate Ari’s Birthday

***If I have missed anyone’s birthday, please let me know.  We have had several new students and a lot of summer birthdays.

March 7 Newsletter

Mrs. Bali’s First Grade News

March 7, 2025

Review of our week:

We are almost finished our reading unit.  We have a few more stories and will be writing an opinion piece. In math we have been working on place value and adding/subtracting double digit numbers.  In listening and learning we are doing a unit on animals and their habitats.

Take Home Books and Reading:

Please make sure your child is doing their reading every night.  Everyone is making progress right now. I can really tell those who are doing their reading homework.  There are a lot of students who are not bringing their take home books back.  Please make sure your child is reading their books and bringing them back every day.  This is a great resource, please take advantage of it.  

Upcoming Events:

*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

*Wednesday, April 9 – Celebrate Wyatt’s Birthday

*Thursday, April 10 – Celebrate Skylar’s Birthday

*April 14-18 – No School (Spring Break)

*Monday, April 21 – Celebrate Ronix’ Birthday

*Tuesday, April 22 – Celebrate Lilly’s Birthday

*Tuesday, April 22 – Celebrate Emmett’s Birthday

*Thursday, May 1 – Celebrate Fynn’s Birthday

*Friday, May 9 – Celebrate Ari’s Birthday

February 28 Newsletter

Mrs. Bali’s First Grade News

February 28, 2025

Review of our week:

Miss Raegan is doing a great job in our class.  It is wonderful to have some extra help. In math we are working on adding double digit numbers. We are learning about the layers of the earth. 

Our behavior is getting much better, but we are still working on it and are still doing trackers.  If you could encourage your child to do their best and listen at school, we would really appreciate it.  Thanks for all of your support in this. 

Reading:

The end of the school year is right around the corner.  I know this time of year gets really busy.  Please help your child to continue reading every night.  Remember to fill your monthly reading record and the Kite Flight reading record as well.  This is a great fundraiser for our school.  The PTA gets money for every reading record that is turned in.

Upcoming Events:

    *Wednesday, March 5 – Spring Pictures (If you want them)

    *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

*Wednesday, April 9 – Celebrate Wyatt’s Birthday

*Thursday, April 10 – Celebrate Skylar’s Birthday

*April 14-18 – No School (Spring Break)

*Monday, April 21 – Celebrate Ronix’ Birthday

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