October 24 Newsletter

Mrs. Bali’s Firsts Grade News

October 24, 2025

Review of our week:

In math we are really working on ways to make ten adding 3 numbers.  I have been seeing a lot of progress in reading.  I am very happy about that.  We had a lot of fun on our Field Trip.  We have been learning about Ancient Egypt.  We learned to write our name in hieroglyphics.

Reading:

At this point I want your child to be doing the reading for all of or most of the time, instead of having somebody read to them.  It is great if you are reading to them on top of their 20 minutes and I would like you to continue with that, but they really need to be doing their 20 minutes of reading themselves.  Reading to them will help make them better readers also. If I gave you a copy of Gran at SEPs, your child should be reading the stories we are reading in class.  This week we have read:King and Queen, The Trip West and Saved By the Bells. We will finish it up next week and start a new one.

When your child is reading to you, please listen to the way they are reading.  We are really working on fluency and expression especially if your child is on a level F or higher.  We talk about how when you are reading it should sound like you are talking and not like a robot.  Please listen to your child and help them work on these things.  This is one of the reasons they should be reading their take home books at least 2 or 3 times. If your child is reading on a g or higher, they only need to read it 1-2 times.  I would also like them to be reading the sight word lists. If you would like some more books for your child to read at home, please let me know.

Red Ribbon Week:

I am sending home an orange paper with the dress up themes for next week.  On Friday, we can wear costumes, but no masks or face paint.  There will be a Halloween parade on the upper field at 2:45.

F.Y.I’s:

* I just wanted to thank all of you who come in and help in our  classroom it really means a lot.

*I will be sending home some addition flashcards.  It will really help them in math if they can learn these math facts.

Upcoming Events:

*October 27-31 – Red Ribbon Week

*Tuesday, October 28- Mrs. Bali will be gone. My son is getting his tonsils out. 

*Friday, October 31 – Carving Pumpkins with dads 10:00

*Friday, October 31 - Halloween Party

*Friday, October 31 – Halloween Parade 1:00 on the upper field. Parents are welcome to come and watch.

*Thursday, November 6 – Celebrate Bridger’s ½ Birthday

*Monday, November 17 – South Family Bingo Night 5:30-7:30

*Tuesday, November 25 – Thanksgiving Feast

*November 26-28 – No School – Thanksgiving Break

*Monday, December 1 – Celebrate Oaks’ ½ Birthday

*Monday, December 8 – Mrs. Bali will be gone

*Tuesday, December 16 – Celebrate Tommy’s ½ Half Birthday

*Wednesday, December 17 – Make Gingerbread Houses @2:00

 

October 10 Newsletter

Mrs. Bali’s First Grade News

October 10, 2025

Review of our week:

I just wanted to thank everybody for coming to SEPs. I have been seeing a lot of progress in reading.  I am very happy about that. Please make sure your child is reading every night. I promise this will make the biggest difference with their reading. 

We made some fun Halloween writings and projects this week. 

Field Trip:

We are going to the Robinson Family Pumpkin Patch on Wednesday, October 22 @9:30. If you would like to come with us, we would love to have you meet us there.  There won’t be room on the bus.  If you have any questions, please let me know.

Carving Pumpkins:

I am looking for 4-5 dads to come in and carve pumpkins with us on Halloween.  We will do Friday, October 31 at 10:00.  If you are interested and can come, help please let me know, so I know how many pumpkins to get.  Thanks

Upcoming Events:

        *October 15 – Picture Retakes

*October 17&20 – No School (Fall Break)

*October 22 – Field Trip to Pumpkin Patch

*October 27-31 – Red Ribbon Week

*Monday-Orange, Black or Halloween Shirts

*Tuesday-Wear Mismatched clothes

*Wednesday-Sports Jersey or Shirt

*Thursday-Wear clothes backwards

*Friday-Halloween Costumes (no gore, blow ups, or face paint)

August 19 Newsletter

September 12 Newsletter

Mrs. Bali’s First Grade News

September 12, 2025

Review of our week:

Each day we interview the leader and I am really seeing some improvement in our writing.  We have also been working on sentence structure.  We are working on subtracting and adding within 10.  We have started reading stories in our readers.

Next Week’s Leaders:

Monday, September 15 – Tom 

        Tuesday, September 16 – Zora

Next week will be our last week of snacks for the class.  If your child would like a snack, will you please send a healthy snack in their backpack.  You can even just keep several in there, so they have one if they are hungry. Thank you so much for everyone providing a snack these first weeks of school.

Homework:

You and your child need to be reading for 20 minutes every night. We started the Take Home Library a while ago.  These books are on your child’s independent reading level, they should be reading them to you.  They may seem easy and that is because they are or they should be.  They are one level lower than where I have them instructionally.   I would like your child to read the book a couple of times.  After they have read the book have them tell you what happened in the book and ask them some questions about the book for comprehension.    Please, be patient with their take home book level, it takes a while for me to read with them when they are ready to move.  If your child is on a higher reading level, they won’t move through the levels as fast.

I also have extra books if you would like some.  Raz Kids is also a great resource for them to get more minutes.

Please help your child to read it and bring it back every day.

Reading Helpers:

I would like to start having parents come in and read with the class next week. They can be moms, dads or grandparents.     If you can and would like to come in and read with us, we would love to have you. The time is 8:40-9:10. Let me know if there is a day that would work for you.  You do have to have your background check with the district.

Upcoming Events:

*Tuesday, September 16 – Color Run starts at 2:30 on the upper field

*Friday, September 26 – Goodies with Grandparents 8-8:45 in the gym

*September 29-October 3 – SEP Week School will get out at 2:30 except on Friday, it will be regular 1:30.

*October 2-3 – Mrs. Bali will be gone

August 29 Newsletter

Mrs. Bali’s First Grade News

August 29, 2025

Review of our week:

I have been doing some assessing this week to see where your child is in reading. Each day, we interview our leader and each child then writes something about the leader and draws a picture.  When we finish each student will have a book they have made with a page about each person in our class.  I am very excited to see how much each child has improved in their writing abilities.  In math we have been working on ways to make 10.  

I will be gone next Thursday and Friday. I won’t be doing a newsletter next week. I have 2 really good subs, but will you please remind your child to be good for the subs? If you happen to come to the stock show, please find me and say hi.

Next Week’s Leaders:

    Monday, September 1 – No School (Labor Day)

    Tuesday, September 2 – Royal (Celebrate Royal’s Birthday)

    Wednesday, September 3 – Freya

    Thursday, September 4 – Kendyl

    Friday, September 5 – Leah

    Monday, September 8 – Milo 

    Tuesday, September 9 – Oaklee

    Wednesday, September 10– Oaks

    Thursday, September 11 – Sophia

    Friday, September 12 – Sylvia

Parent Readers:

We will be starting in a few weeks. I would love for anyone else who would like to come listen to the class.  You do need to go to the district and have your fingerprints done.  If you have already done your fingerprints, you do need to fill out a form at the beginning of each year.

Homework:

Your child should be reading every night. At this point their reading time can be a combination of them reading and you reading to them.  I know some of you are reading the full 20 to your child and that is great.    

We started our Take Home Library Books this week.  Your child will be getting 1 book they can read on their own Monday-Thursday. They should be reading this book 2-3 times each night and bringing it back each day. If you would like extra books, I have some I can send home. Raz is also a great resource to be using. I am still adjusting some of the levels.  If you have a question about your child’s level, please reach out to me.

Reading Records:

I have included the reading record for September. The reading record is due by the date at the bottom.  Please, take the time to help your child with their reading.  They need to color an apple for each day they read for 20 minutes.  I tell them to keep it in a safe place and to color an apple as soon as they are finished reading.  Thanks

Upcoming Events:

• Monday, September 1 – No School (Labor Day)

• Tuesday, September 2 – Celebrate Royal’s Birthday

• Wednesday, September 3 – School Pictures

• September 4-5 – Mrs. Bali will be gone. I will be with my boys at the Stock Show.

August 22 Newsletter

 Mrs. Bali’s First Grade News

August 22, 2025

Review of our week:

We have our first full week of regular schedule behind us. We are still working on learning our procedures and getting into a routine.  We are really working on listening and following instructions.  I am so excited about our class and the upcoming year.  I have really enjoyed getting to know your child.  There are a few things I wanted to remind you about as well as some things coming up.

Raz Kids: 

If you have not checked out the website or downloaded the app, please do so.  I sent home a log in paper with the information on it at Back to School Night.

Preps:

We have P.E. on Tuesdays.  Please send your child with appropriate clothes and shoes.  

Forms Online:

If you have not done this, please do so ASAP.  If you still have questions, email or call Mrs. Savage in the office.

FYI:

* If your child has not turned in the papers, I sent home please do so ASAP.

* Thank you to those of you who donated things off of my Amazon wish list as well as the items from Back to School Night. You were very generous.

* Remember school starts at 8:55 please have your child here before that. We do Bell Work each morning until 9:00. I have several who are not getting it finished.

Upcoming Events:

• Monday, September 1 – No School (Labor Day)

• Tuesday, September 2 – Celebrate Royal’s Birthday

• Wednesday, September 3 – School Pictures

• September 4-5 – Mrs. Bali will be gone. I will be with my boys at the Stock Show.

Here is a list of snacks for the next several of weeks. Please send

24 snacks.  If you can send prepackaged snacks, that will help a lot. If you are unable to send a snack, please let me know. Thanks!!

Monday, August 25 – Austin

Tuesday, August 26 – Brian

Wednesday, August 27 – Dotty

Thursday, August 28 – Elsie

Friday, August 29 - Ember

Monday, September 1 – No School (Labor Day)

Tuesday, September 2 – Royal (Celebrate Royal’s Birthday)

Wednesday, September 3 – Freya

Thursday, September 4 – Kendyl

Friday, September 5 – Leah

Monday, September 8 – Milo 

Tuesday, September 9 – Oaklee

Wednesday, September 10– Oaks

Thursday, September 11 – Sophia

Friday, September 12 – Sylvia

Monday, September 15 – Tom 

Tuesday, September 16 – Zora

August 15 Newsletter

Mrs. Bali’s First Grade News

August 15, 2025

Review of Our Week:

We have had a great week getting to know each other and learning procedures.  We have also done some pretty fun activities this week.  Next week we will be starting into our regular schedule with I-Ready Math and our CKLA reading program.

Leader and Snacks:

Each day we will have a leader and I would like that leader to bring a healthy snack to share with the class.  They are still adjusting to being back in school and they get hungry during the day.  Please send 24 snacks.  If you can’t send a snack, just let me know.  If your child would like to bring their own snack and not eat the class snack, they are welcome to do that.

Monday, August 18 – Arzy

Tuesday, August 19 – Emmerson

Wednesday, August 20 – Benson

Thursday, August 21 – Briggs

Friday, August 22 - Bridger

Upcoming Events:

• Tuesday, August 19 – Celebrate Emmerson’s Birthday

• Monday, September 1 – No School (Labor Day)

• Tuesday, September 2 – Celebrate Royal’s Birthday

• Wednesday, September 3 – School Pictures

• September 4-5 – Mrs. Bali will be gone. I will be with my boys at the Stock Show.