What a wonderful week it has been in first grade. We're continuing to get to know each other and get comfortable with our classroom routines. I hope you're not on folder overload at home. The Friday Take Home Folder went home today with our work as well as the spelling post test. Because the weekend is long and next week is again short, we took the pretest today so students have more time with the spelling words which are due next Friday. Please return the take home folder on Tuesday and we'll reload it with goodies.

A few important dates to keep in mind:

• Thursday, September 6 is cap day. Please have your child wear a hat to school. We'll be focusing on words with "short a" that day.
• Friday, September 7 is the field trip to the Outdoor Discovery Center.

Thank you to all the parents who volunteered to chaperone the field trip to the Outdoor Discovery Center. We've been limited to taking only four parents along. I randomly chose four parents and will contact them this weekend. Thank you for SUCH wonderful classroom support!

I feel badly turning parents down who want to be involved in the classroom. On that note, we do have another area we need volunteers. Mrs. Hofman, our librarian, has asked for parents to help with our book check-out on Friday mornings from 9:30-10:00. I know that sometimes it can be difficult to commit every week, but maybe this could be a rotating position between two or four parents? Please contact me if you're interested in helping with our kiddos in the library on a bi-monthly or monthly basis. I can put together a schedule. THANK YOU!

Onto the good stuff. Take a peek at all the fun learning we've been doing this week. You see some picture above of our hunt for habitats. The kids found all kinds of creatures and made observations of their habitats. God created such a beautiful world. We stood in awe of how, from habitat to adaptations, God cares for even the tiniest creatures. How much more doesn't he care for his children?

Science links well with the creation study that we're talking about in Bible. We're memorizing Genesis 1:1 and learning about creation, the fall and Christ's sacrifice for our redemption. A beautiful truth indeed.

Reading! We're getting our book boxes filled with appropriate levels for each child. I've been able to assess students and we're already starting to make individual goals. This is when the growth really starts to happen. Even though there is no formal reading chart coming home to track minutes, please encourage your child to read independently and/or read regularly together. Just like any other learned skill, the more we practice, the more proficient and confident we become.

In math, we've been reviewing number sense, adding and some subtraction. The iPads are a big motivator for kids. They practice dozens of math problems, more than a worksheet could hold, and groan when it's time to end. Teachers drool over groans like that :) I'm working to catch number reversals in your child's written work. If I miss some, please encourage your child to erase the error and write the number correctly. We've worked at writing numerals properly, but some habits die hard.

It's been a little toasty lately. If anyone's got an in with Matt Kirkwood, let him know we can cool things off just a touch :)  We've been drinking a lot of water and blasting our fans. Despite the heat, the kids have been working hard through it all. I'm so proud of them! I would imagine bedtimes are a tad earlier than they were two weeks ago. Thank you for all of your support at home. Enjoy your long weekend and we'll be ready for more action and learning beginning on Tuesday.

                                                        Popsicles in the shade...ahhhh!

What a great start to the school year! We've been getting familiar
with each other as well as our classroom routines and procedures. God
has certainly blessed our class with an awesome bunch of kiddos!

Our Parent Night event which will be held this Monday evening at South
Side. Mr. Brandsen will go over some general information about South
Side in the gym at 7:30 and then we'll meet in our classroom at 8:00
to talk over some specifics about our class. If you are not able to
attend I will email you the information or send home a hard copy and
we can talk later if you have questions, concerns or ideas.

Holland Christian is holding its second annual Convocation on the
football field this Sunday at 3:00. What a great chance for families
and staff to begin the year praising God together with one voice. I
hope you will consider attending.

Our Classroom

 

Here's our classroom all ready for you. It's too empty and quiet without you!

Welcome to First Grade!

I’m SO excited to meet you, students and families! Each of you is a treasured child of God. I will remind you of that every day that we are together. One of the most important roles for me as your teacher is to help you grow closer to our God and learn to hear his voice in your life.

I’m so excited to get our school year started. Everything is our classroom is completely ready. We’re just missing….you and your friends! I can’t wait until our room is buzzing with your energy, ideas, questions and all the busyness that comes with our learning.

I hope that you will be able to come and meet me in our classroom on Monday, August 20. You may come anytime between 6:30 and 8:00. You will be able to greet your old friends, meet some new ones and have some ICE CREAM! I’ll have a big hug waiting for you J You may bring your school supplies with you that evening, or you may choose to bring them the first day of school.

I have been praying for you. I’m thrilled that you will be in my class for first grade! See you soon,

 ~Mrs. Rynsburger

P.S. To parents: You received a letter from the office last spring with a few requested supplies for your child to bring to school this fall. Here’s a little refresher (I know I needed it ; ) 

Please equip your child with the following items:

·         Indoor tennis shoes

·         Backpack with no wheels (the lockers are itty bitty)

·         Pencil box

·         Pencils (at least 6)

·         Crayons (24 count or more)

·         A pair of ear buds or head phones for personal use with your child’s iPad.

·         A set of markers is nice but won’t be required

Your child may bring these supplies to fill their desk on the 20^th or may choose to wait until the first day of school.