Hi Families,                                               

This week before our Thanksgiving break will be busy! On Wednesday, we have been invited to attend the school book fair. We'll get to pick out a book for free, and an opportunity to buy a book if we bring the funds. Here's the blurb from the school newsletter:

"Books will be paperback selections priced $5.99 and lower supplied by local bookstore, Bath Book Shop.  If you send a check in with your child, please make the check out to Bath Book Shop.  The Bath Elementary PTA and the Literacy Support Fund provide funds for every student to choose a free book at the Book Fair.  Parents are invited to shop the Book Fair on Thursday evening, November 15th, from 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m..  Local author Wendy Ulmer will be reading from her book A Isn't For Fox beginning at 6:45 p.m."

Also on Wednesday, we'll be reading and assembling ingredients for Stone Soup, to be offered at snack time on Thursday. Seasonal creative art projects are on this week's schedule, as well.

Please remember to sign up for parent conferences (November 20th) if you have not already done so. Timing is flexible, so speak with Mrs. Bridgman if you need a time that is not on the list. No pre-k classes  the week of November 20, 21, and 22, just the conferences on Tuesday, the 20th.

Closing with a song we'll be singing this week (not every item required to be totally embraced ...)

"I love the turkey,
I love the stuffin',
I love the gravy,
I love corn muffins,
I love my family,
We're all together,
I'm glad Thanksgiving time is here."

Mrs. Bridgman and Mrs. Peavey

Pre-K Family Newsletter             November 8, 2012

Dear Families,

We have begun our change into the Restaurant theme (lasting for the next 6 weeks or so.) Our science center is transforming into Subway, blocks center into the Farmer’s Market, math into Dot’s Ice Cream Shop, dramatic play into The Cabin Pizza, literacy into Applebee’s and the art center into Dunkin’ Donuts. If you have props that would support play in these centers (un-used pizza boxes, coffee cups, paper bags with these logos), we would welcome contributions. The kids (and adults) are quite excited about this new theme!

Wednesday, November 14^th, pre-k is scheduled to attend our school book fair. Through the generosity of Dike Newell’s PTA, each student will get a free book, and they have an opportunity to buy a book as well.

Our class will be practicing a brief lockdown drill within the next week. We’ll have a pretend announcement and proceed to our corner center. Our goal is to sit quietly, out of view of doors and windows, for 5 minutes, with a brief discussion of the procedure.

Tuesday, November 20^th, is our day scheduled for pre-k parent conferences. A sign-up sheet is in class now. We can make other time accommodations, if necessary.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Bridgman and Mrs. Peavey

pre-k Family Newsletter October 31, 2012

 Pre-K Family Newsletter       October 31, 2012    

    

This is the last week of our Family Theme in class. The kids have done a nice job taking on roles and for the most part, staying in them, during our center time.  Here's a group working on the car engine in "the garage"....

I hope you have enjoyed discussing the “play plans” that come home with your student once a week. The kids should be able to tell you about the picture they drew, which center they went to, and “who” they were. Look for details beyond the stick figures, beginning to emerge in their work. Many are working on their messages, so re-reading that part together, would be much appreciated. In our pre-k world we draw a line for every word in our messages, so you can also anticipate kids “reading” their lines to you. Mrs. Peavey and I write the words in, but eventually you will see your kids start to write initial sounds and more on the lines. A very exciting time!

Our centers will begin to transform into Restaurants next week, and we will start pretending to be cooks, dishwashers, customers, etc. The kids will help decide which restaurants will be in our centers – usually local favorites are chosen. After that, we may request to borrow props from home that support these cuisines, so stand by!

Some important November dates to keep in mind:

Tuesday, November 6^th – no school. It’s a professional development day for RSU1 teachers.

November 20, 21, 22 – no pre-k this week for the Thanksgiving holiday. However, November 20^th is when we will hold Parent Conferences for our class. Sign up times will be posted soon.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Bridgman and Mrs. Peavey

P.S. Halloween Day with your kids was wonderful - thanks for sharing them with us!

November Dates to Remember

Please be aware of the following dates for November:

NOVEMBER 6TH-NO SCHOOL FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAY

NOVEMBER 20TH- NO SCHOOL FOR PARENT/TEACHER CONFERENCES

NOVEMBER 21ST & 22ND -NO SCHOOL FOR THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY

October 23, 2012

This week, we will be doing a required baseline assessment test with all the pre-k kids. It's called the CPAA, which stands for Children's Progress Academic Assessment. It's done on our school computers and takes about 15 minutes. We'll be having a sub on Wednesday to help out in the class with Mrs. Peavey, while I take students, about 3 at a time, to the computer lab in Dike-Newell. From observing past years' kids, I predict they will think it's fun. We'll be reviewing the results of this snapshot of your child at our parent teacher conferences, which are on November 20th.

Mrs. Bridgman

Family Newsletter 10-15-12

                                                                                                 

                                                                                October 15, 2012

Pre-K Family Newsletter

We are continuing to play in our Family-themed centers (the living room, the laundry room, the bathroom, the bedroom, the garage and the kitchen.) Your kids will most likely be able to tell you which center they played in that day, and who they pretended to be. It would be great if you could ask your child more about that part of their day. Something like, “And what does the grandmother do?” (if they said they were the grandmother), or “What does a little brother say when he is in the kitchen?” There may be a decipherable connection between the play plans your child brings home, and what he or she tells you about … Well, okay, some of us are just starting to draw recognizable stick figures and details, so the connections may not be overly apparent yet!

Thanks to Mrs. Peavey’s technical expertise, our Pre-K blog is up and running. You may find it by going to the Dike-Newell website, clicking on “Classroom Links”, then “Pre-K”, then “Mrs. Bridgman”. I hope to post classroom news, and an occasional picture of the kids doing fun stuff (no names will be used.) My list from the office shows that no one has denied permission to use their child’s picture on this school site. If I am in error about this, kindly let me know, and we will happily follow your wishes.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Bridgman and Mrs. Peavey

Thanks!

We will be doing a leaf rubbing project this week.