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

November 8 Newsletter

Mrs. Bali’s First Grade News

November 8, 2024

Review of our week: 

Thank you for those of you who sent information about your veterans.  We learned some really neat things.  If you have not sent the information in, you can still do it next week.

Cold Weather:

The weather changes so much from day to day.  Please make sure your child has a warm jacket, a coat or both to wear outside to recess.

Gingerbread Houses:

I emailed you the link to sign up to donate things for our gingerbread houses.  If you don’t want to sign up, but want to send something, we still need more candy to decorate.  I know this is really early, but it seems that things go really fast this time of year.  

I would also like to invite you all to come and decorate with your child if you are able to come.  

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 @1:30

*Friday, December 20 – Christmas Party

*Friday, December 20 – End of 2nd Quarter

*December 23-January 6 – No School

November 1 Newsletter

Mrs. Bali’s First Grade News

November 1, 2024

Review of our week:

I wanted to thank all the dad who came and carved pumpkins with us on yesterday and the moms who did our Halloween Party.  It was so much fun. I will post pictures on the blog. 

Veterans:

I would like each child to find out if they have any Veterans in their family.  If they do, I would like them to find out any information and find pictures.  If you could send things that we can keep, at least for a while that would be great. If you can make a copy of the picture, so that we can keep it, that would be the best. I like to put them in their portfolios.  If it is something that your child can just bring for the day and share, we would love to see it.  Part of our First Grade core is American Symbols, so we are going to be really focusing on patriotism.  If you could send them sometime in the next couple of weeks, that would be great.

FYI:

*Now that is starting to get colder, please make sure your child is bringing a jacket and or coat.  You never know from 1 day to the next what it will be like when we go out.  They need something to keep them warm. We will usually still go out unless it is below freezing or it is snowing.  Also, to be out in the snow, they have to have snow boots on, otherwise they just stay on the blacktop to play.  They need to be waterproof snow boots. 

*We have had a lot of really tired kids.  Will you please make sure your child is getting enough sleep, especially with the time change this weekend.

Book Orders:

I have included a book order.  You can click on the link at the bottom on the email and order online.  They will be due on Friday, November 8.  If you are ordering books for Christmas, please let me know.  I won’t send them home with your child, but I will let you know when they come in.

Gingerbread Houses:

We will be making gingerbread houses in December.  I have done a Signup Genius with things we could use.  It is mostly candy and frosting.  If you could donate anything, that would be great.  I have seen things in the stores lately and I know they will go fast, so I thought I would put this out now.  You can send them any time you want to.  

Upcoming Events:

*Wednesday, November 6 – Picture Retakes

*Thursday, November 7 – Celebrate Winter’s Birthday

*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 @1:30

*Friday, December 20 – Christmas Party

*Friday, December 20 – End of 2nd Quarter

*December 23-January 6 – No School

Carving Pumpkins