Outdoor Kindergarten

Please check emails for an update on the outdoor day for Tuesday, Feb. 11.  We are keeping an eye on the wind chill factor and the trail conditions.

 

 

 

 

 

Skating was so much fun! Learning or practicing a new skill takes resilience and this is our Hawk Virtue of the month. Way to go Hawks for showing resilience on the ice! Students are now sharing a Counting Collection when they have been chosen as Special Helper. This gives each student a chance to show their counting skills and practice how quantities can be broken apart into smaller subsets.

The week ahead: Feb. 10-14

• Monday – no students attend. Professional Development Day.
• Tuesday – at the park??
• Wednesday – at FLE. Library books can be kept for another week, as the Book Fair is taking over the library and there will be no book exchanges. Please return home reading books.
• Thursday – at FLE.
• Friday – at FLE. Valentine’s Day. Please send a cup of chopped fruit for our Friendship Fruit Salad, and a dish with a fork or spoon. If your child wants to deliver Valentine cards, please be sure to send one for everyone in the class (20). We will make big envelopes to hold our cards in.
• Next Monday, February 17 is Family Day – enjoy the holiday!

 

 

 

 

 

Last week we were making up stories about snow and now it’s finally on the ground. We’ll have a great time at the park in the snow this week! Dress kids in boots and snow or rain pants and coats, with several pairs of gloves/mitts. We have extra hand and foot warmers in case they get chilly. (Thanks to parents Laura and Morgan!)

• Monday – at the park.
• Tuesday – at the park (unless weather turns too cold or icy)
• Wednesday – at FLE. Return Library and Home Reading books.
• Thursday – at FLE.
• Friday – at FLE. Skating field trip.
  • Parent drivers please arrive at the classroom at 11:45 AM for carpools to the rink.
  • Send a booster seat for your child if they are riding in another car.
  • Send a labeled bag with your child’s gear including skates, helmet (unless renting), gloves, snow/rain pants
  • Any children who are new to skating are allowed to use the carts and take breaks to colour or watch on the benches.
  • All children must stay in the rink area unless escorted by a parent or staff to the washrooms.

We were blessed with another beautiful, sunny and cool set of outdoor days last week and it looks like our luck will hold for this week as well.

Please send a hand towel if your child doesn’t yet have one in their backpack. Drying hands after washing helps them stay warm and clean. We do not have paper towels at the shelter. Thanks!

We’ll be learning about snakes and Lunar New Year traditions for the Year of the Snake this week.  We’re wondering about the garter snakes that live at the park and how long they will hibernate for!

The week ahead: Jan 27-31

• Monday and Tuesday – at the park
• Wednesday – at FLE. Send in skating field trip form, library and home reading books (Sorry…I have a big stack of mail bags in the classroom). Lunar New Year begins.
• Thursday – at FLE. Fun lunch.
• Friday – at FLE. No walk due to assembly. Crazy Hat Spirit Day!

*Looking ahead to Skating on Friday, Feb. 7 – I will need two parent volunteers to collect the helmet and skate rentals from the shop in a tote bin or wagon and bring them to the changing room to distribute, then return at the end of the skate. I will have a list of sizes needed. Please let me know if you wouldn’t mind doing this job. (I will pay for the rentals with the school credit card)

*Looking ahead to Valentine’s Day – If your child would like to give cards, please send them on Friday, Feb. 14. Please have them put their own name on each card but NOT any particular friend’s name. This way it is much easier and quicker for kids to deliver them. There are 20 students in our class. We’ll also be making a ‘Friendship Fruit Salad’ to share. Please send in one cup of chopped fruit that your child enjoys on Friday, Feb. 14.

Last week we enjoyed a frosty walk. Students were excited to find signs of winter cold like hair ice on sticks! We welcomed the 55 coho salmon eggs into the tank in Ms. Bendo’s classroom. Each week we’ll check on their progress. On the February calendar, please add Monday, Feb. 24 is a Report Card Prep day, students do not attend. Also, if your child did not bring home a calendar and skating field trip form, please email me so I can ensure they get one this week.

 

 

 

 

 

The week ahead: Jan. 20-24

• Monday – at the park. We’ll learn more about how animals survive the winter through games, books and dramatic play.
• Tuesday – at the park. We’ll create winter tree art.
• Wednesday – at FLE. Return home reading and library books. Drumming at 3:15.
• Thursday – at FLE. Donut treat day. LEAP Info Session for new interested families at 5pm in library.
• Friday – at FLE. Morning walk likely.

 

Coming back to school was both fun and busy. It also tugged on the heartstrings to have to say goodbye to parents again. Students enjoyed a lovely day outside with sand play. In the classroom, we made 2025 ‘smell and texture’ collages with Ms. O’Neill’s leftover sugary cereal!

 

 

 

 

 

This week we’ll learn about the sturgeon through traditional Kwantlen storytelling with Sesmalot at the river. Then when we return to school, we’ll meet our shared class pets…coho salmon eggs! Ms. Bendo’s and our K classes will take care of them and watch them develop over the next 3 months. They’ll live in a tank in Ms. Bendo’s class since we are out of the building some days. We will follow the Salmonids in the Classroom education materials to learn about each stage and how to care for them.

• Monday – at the park
• Tuesday – at the park
• Wednesday – at FLE. Library book exchange. 2:15–3:00 Indigenous Drumming group (either outside log circle or in Ms. Bendo’s room) is open to all staff, parents and students each Wednesday
• Thursday – at FLE.
• Friday – at FLE. In term 2, we will continue to try to go for walks in the community when schedules and weather allow. We also have an extra gym block for indoor exercise. Please keep sending outdoor clothing.

*Please help spread the word about LEAP! We have an information session for interested families on January 23 at 5:00pm in the library. Contact the office to register.

I’m re-energized after the holiday break and can’t wait to get into my favourite term of the year for teaching. I love how ready the kindergarten students are for learning new things like letter sounds and reading!

• Monday, Jan. 6 – at the school. We’ll share our favourite holiday memories and New Year’s traditions.
• Tuesday, Jan. 7 – at the new park. We meet at the day use area and walk to the group campsite around 9:00.
• Wednesday, Jan. 8 – at the school.
• Thursday, Jan. 9 – at the school.
• Friday, Jan. 10 – at the school.

Holidays are coming up fast! We’ve been keeping busy with caroling, crafts, and community walks.

 

 

 

 

Students learned about symmetry by creating snowflakes with loose materials.

We hope you enjoyed our ‘Snowmen can’t March’ song at the concert!

The week ahead: Dec. 16-20

• Monday – at FLE. School Holiday Store. Please send their lists and money in their mailbag or an envelope. Students can buy up to 2 gifts for $2 each.
• Tuesday – at FLE. School Holiday Store. Students can buy up to 2 more gifts for $2 each. Beaded crafts with Gr. 1 buddies.
• Wednesday – at FLE. Pancake Breakfast 9:00 AM
• Thursday – at FLE. Field trip to Thunderbird Stables for Christmas in the Country. Drivers, please come to the classroom at 11:30.
• Friday – at FLE. Cozy wear (PJs) spirit day. AM Assembly, PM Grinch (2018) movie and craft.

Happy Holidays! I wish everyone a healthy and joyful holiday break! See you all on Monday, Jan. 6 at the school.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kindergartens experienced the frozen magic of frosty mornings last week. They wondered what happens to water when it freezes, and what happens to frost when it warms up? Their curiosity led to an impromptu science lesson! They practiced drawing Rudolph from a directed drawing lesson. I think you’ll agree, they are very cute and unique!

The week ahead: Dec. 9-13

This week is all about decorating and performing! We’ll be as busy as elves decking the door and the gym.

Monday – at FLE. Morning storywalk through festive Fort Langley.

Tuesday – at FLE.  Earthquake Drill.

Wednesday – at FLE. Dress rehearsal. (No audience). Fun lunch.

Thursday – at FLE. Concert. Students can dress in their ‘Holiday Best’ attire. The holiday concerts are at 12:30 and 5:30pm. I hope all our ‘Snowmen’ can make it for the evening concert. I will supervise in the classroom from 5:05 pm to the end of the show, so please drop students off at the outside door before you find a seat and collect them from the same outside door at the end of the concert. Please do not leave the concert early in respect for the other acts.

Friday – at FLE. Walk if weather allows.

 

 

This week, anyone who wants to join in every shift or even try one shift of the Principal’s Cup floor hockey tournament will be on our Team Blackhawks! We also need supportive fans so anyone who isn’t playing will watch and cheer. Go team!

Please be sure to pack rainpants, gloves and hats for keeping warm outside even on the school grounds.

• Monday – at FLE, floor hockey, extra music practice
• Tuesday – at FLE, floor hockey, extra outside time on the school grounds
• Wednesday – at FLE, floor hockey, library
• Thursday – at FLE, floor hockey, music
• Friday – at FLE, floor hockey, extra outside time on the school grounds

Last week, students learned more about salmon from Sesmalot’s traditional story about how Chum salmon became the last one to swim up the river. LEPS taught about the salmon life cycle through games like ‘match the smell’ and ‘salmon forest obstable course’.  Back at school, the kindergartens showed the whole school what Respect means through funny skits and an acrostic poem with the help of our Gr.5/6 big buddies. For the next month, I’ll be awarding house points for students who show respect, our Hawk Virtue of the Month.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The week ahead: Nov. 25-29

I’m looking forward to meeting with every family again to guide the Student inclusive conferences. This time, students will show what they’ve been learning at school, share about their strengths, and then together, we’ll set learning goals for the next term.

• Monday – at the park. Boat Day! Bring a small bag with recycled container, tape and string to create a boat to float in the ditches at the park.
• Tuesday – at the park. Our final full day outside for the year.
• Wednesday – Student inclusive conferences. Not a regular school day.
• Thursday – Early dismissal at 12:08 for Student inclusive conferences.
• Friday – at school. Community Walk.