I apologize for not sending this out yesterday. I got sidetracked at the end of the day and completely forgot to send it off to you. It was ready to go!
I’m so excited to be back with your little ones. I hope you all had a wonderful, restful spring break. Though I didn’t get much of a break, the Deeper Learning conference that we went to in San Diego was incredible! I learned a ton of stuff. My favorite session was a cram course on coding and computer programming. Mrs. Phillips (the kindergarten teacher) and myself spent an entire day learning to Code. Then in the afternoon we designed a program to solve a real-world problem to stop an Octopus from escaping it’s cage in New Zealand. I’m planning to do the same thing on a Saturday for my teacher experience! You can bid on it at the auction. Mrs. Lambert and myself are also planning a nature walk and breakfast teacher activity that parents can also bid on at the auction. We’re looking forward to spending time with your little ones outside of the classroom!
Quick Links:
April/May Help
Mystery Reader
Book Order
Reminders
ZOO FIELD TRIP: First grade is going to the Zoo. As a part of our Bird’s unit in our Expeditionary Learning curriculum, we’re going to the zoo so we can see different birds up close and explore other animals at the zoo. Please make sure you complete the form and turn it in. I’ve already filled the 5 spots for chaperones to ride the bus with us. If you’d still like to join us, we can use as many parents as possible. If you’re a Zoo member, you can use your membership. You just need to check in at the front entrance and meet us inside the field trip entrance (gate 9). If you’re not a member, you can pay the discounted 7$. Please include it with your child’s field trip payment so we can purchase your ticket in advance. I will give you your wristband when we arrive at the Zoo. I will give further instructions and information closer to the date.
READING LOG: I collected the March reading logs and sent home the April ones! We’re going to do lunch in the classroom this Friday for the students who completed a page in their reading log! Start filling out that April log. We’re going to do lunch in the classroom again!
ONLINE BOOKS/READING CHALLENGE: DPS has a great online resource of Ebooks and audio books that students can login to and access. Over spring break, take time and explore their online books with your child. Your student can read and listen to a ton of books which can be recorded in your child’s reading log. DPS is holding a “Spring into Summer Reading” contest (March 18-April 7). Three elementary schools will be awarded a Scholastic book fair where every student receives 6 FREE books of their choice. There will be three categories:
1). school with the highest growth in unique OverDrive users;
2). school with the greatest percentage of unique OverDrive users; and
3). school with the highest per student checkouts in OverDrive.
Follow this link: http://lion.dpsk12.org/ to get started and help our school win free books for every student! Instructions on how to access your child’s account can be found at this link. Your child’s login is the same as their Istation login.
YEAR END AUCTION: Join us for Inspire's Year End Celebration and Auction which will be held at Eighteen76 @ Dick's Sporting Goods Park on April 20. It will be a fun night for the adults of our school community to enjoy food, drinks, and bid on lots of awesome items, including vacations, stay-cations, certificates for local attractions and restaurants, kid's activities, classroom art, awesome teacher experiences (including a nature walk/breakfast with Mrs. Lambert and myself and a computer coding class on a Saturday with my husband and myself), and more! This is one of the biggest fundraisers for our school and the PTO’s goal this year is to raise money to continue our wonderful Specials program. We can't wait to celebrate with you! Tickets are on sale at:https://www.accelevents.com/e/Inspire19
VOLUNTEERING IN THE CLASSROOM: I need parent help during my reading station time! Mrs. Lambert and I did some regrouping during our reading time. If you can come help us out, we would love that! We have games and chapter book studies for families to help with. Click on the link and sign up for any days you’re available to help us out. You may be in my classroom or you may be working with Mrs. Lambert in her classroom. I also need clerical help and I would love for some adults to come in on a Friday here and there to do a fun educational STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, or math) activity with the kids. All sign ups for the rest of the year are included with this link: April/May Help
SUMMER BIRTHDAY: If your child has a summer birthday, we are going to start celebrating those in the classroom. I like to give each child their own birthday celebration day! If students don’t bring in treats, then we do extra play stations or extra recess. Please e-mail me before and let me know if you plan to send a nut free treat to school with your child. Here is a list of when I plan to celebrate each child’s summer birthday:
April 8: Anethzi
April 15: Nikolas
April 23: Hudson
May 6: Charlie
LIBRARY: We have library every Tuesday. Please return the books you are finished with, so your child can check out new books.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Friday, 4/5 Spirit Day; Mismatch Day
Friday, 4/5 11-3 PM Sustain Ed Farms Seedling Programming
4/8-4/26 CMAS/CoALT (3rd grade standardized testing)
Thursday, 4/18 @8am SEL Parent Coffee
Thursday, 4/18 @ 6 PM PTO Meeting
Monday, 4/22 @ 2:00 PM 2nd & 3rd Grade Music Performance/ Family Survey
Tuesday, 4/23 Class Pictures and Cap and Gown pictures for Kindergarten
Wednesday, 4/24 Administrative Professionals Day
Thursday, 4/25 @ 8:00 AM Inspiring Students Celebration
Friday, 4/26 No School; Professional Development
Monday, 4/29 No School; Non-Student Contact Day