Wednesday, December 19 - Upcoming Events

Our Sparkle Party was a lot of fun! Caroling is going well and we are learning some new Christmas songs. A big 'Thank-You' to everyone who volunteered in the classroom and sent in our party food, and cookies.
Tomorrow, is our 'Polar Express' Spirit Day. Students are invited to wear their P.J.'s, Christmas Sweater and/or red and green.
Friday, December 21 is our last Fresh Air Friday of the year. Please remember to send your child dressed for our ever changing weather. 😊

Letter of the Week’ sharing program. On the date specified below, your child is encouraged to bring to school, an object that begins with the letter of the week to share. By sharing the initial letter sound object, your child learns and shares their phonemic, knowledge of their letter. Your child is learning to speak to the class in full sentences, and enjoy the opportunity to ‘show and share’. Please note that if needed, I will assist your child in sharing with the class.

***Please keep an eye my blog for possible changes to the dates for our letter of the week.

• January 7     Letter M – Porter, Richard, Samuel, Yazmin
• January 14     Letter D- Sebastian, Sihan, Juna, Zoe
• January 21 – Lacrosse – No letter of the week
• January 28       Letter G - Aditya, Alex, Andrea
• February 4       Letter O - Ayaka, Case, Declan
• February 11     Valentine’s Activities - No Letter of the Week
• February 18   Family Day Holiday - Chinese New Year Activities
• February 25     Letter U - Eden, Erik, Franco

Upcoming Events:

Saakokoto, Elder Randy Bottle School Visit - Friday, January 18

Lacrosse Lessons - January 21 to 23 - More details to follow

Hoop Dancing Residency - January 28 to January 31 - More  details to follow

I would like to wish everyone a very Happy and Safe Christmas Break. 

Tuesday, December 11

Mrs. Amy Jonsson, is officially our Kindergarten, Education Assistant! We are so very fortunate to have her expertise in our classroom!

Tomorrow, will be our last book exchange for this year. Please return your library books.  

Wednesday, January 9, 2019 - we will resume our Library Book  Exchange

Thursday, December 13 - Christmas Spirit Day - Wear your Santa Hats, Christmas Sweaters, Green and /or Red, or whatever you have that is Festive.

Monday, December 17 - No Letter of the week

Tuesday, Dec 18 to Thursday Dec. 20 - 8:50 to 9:30 AM - Carolling in the Learning Commons, all families are welcome to join us!

Wednesday, Dec. 19 - Kindergarten Sparkle Party - Wear your tinsel or sparkly clothes and join us for singing and crafting. We will have healthy party food and a Gingerbread cookie to decorate. Please do not send a snack to school.

Thursday, Dec. 20 - Polar Express day - What! Wear your P.J's and bring your stuffy again! 

Friday, Dec. 21 - Fresh Air Friday

December 22 to January 6 - Enjoy your 'Winter Break' with your families and friends!

Monday, December 10

Today, our letter of the week sharing was so exciting! Everyone, brought in some very interesting sharing objects.
Tomorrow is Treat Day, so please remember to send in twenty-five cents for your child's treat.
However, if you forget everyone still receives a treat!
Last Thursday's story time, with Soho went very well. We read the book Santa's Magic Key by Stephanie Stansbie and Emi Ordas.  Hopefully, Soho will be able to drop by for another reading time this week. Soho wanted you to see his picture with Santa!

Tuesday,December 5 - Puppy Pal Reading

Dear Kindergarten Families,

I would like to bring my dog, 'Soho' to school for 'Puppy Buddy Reading'. Soho, is a very well trained Labrador who would love to visit us at school. This activity would be supervised by another adult, likely in the Learning Commons. Before we can begin this Reading Program, I would like to know if there are any students in my class who have an allergy to, or fear of dogs. If you would like to discuss this with me, or have any concerns about Soho visiting us at school, please email me.
I'd be very happy to meet with you, and even introduce you to our family dog. He was trained as a wheelchair assistance dog, and we have maintained his training.  Soho loves to be put to work!


Tomorrow is our Decorating Candy Houses Day. Please check my Sunday blog for more information. This is such a FUN event!

Thursday, December 6 is Pyjama Day. Everyone is welcome to wear their PJ's or comfy clothes to school!

Sunday, December 2 - Upcoming Festivities

Letter of the Week Sharing

• December 3 – Letter H – Eden, Erik, Franco
• December 10 – Letter R- Kaylee, Landon, Marek
• December 17 – No letter of the week

Thank-you everyone for volunteering!

Wednesday, December 5 - Decorating Candy Houses - I will provide Smarties, marshmallows, candy canes and green/red candies. Please send in a Ziploc bag, labelled with your child's name  a few more items to decorate their Candy Houses. Small items such as cereal, sprinkles, chocolate chips, jelly beans, skittles and so forth work best.

Week of December 10 - Festive Card Making - Volunteers are more than welcome!

Week of December 17 - Festive Crafts - Volunteers are more than welcome!

Christmas Carolling - everyone is welcome - please keep an eye on Mrs. Rennie's Worth Mentioning

Wednesday, Dec. 19  - Class Sparkle Party - Thank-you we have volunteers, Gingerbread Cookies to decorate and party food!

Ho Ho Ho!

Wednesday, November 28 - Numbers 1 to 10

Last week, for several mornings, we were outside learning about making sets for the numbers 1 to 10.
As a group, everyone was asked to find objects from nature to show 'how many things' represent the number cards. This number game involved working with others, counting the number of objects, and problem solving to decide if they should add their object to a number or put it on another number. Afterward we checked our number cards.

Today, we drew what we learned  about the numbers in our Visual Journals. It was impressive, and very interesting to see what they remembered about our number game.

Monday, Nov. 26 Patterning

Today, the sharing of letter E went very well. Thank-you for sending in such great objects for your child to share!
Today, with pattern squares, we learned how to make color patterns.  Using the colors red, green, yellow, and blue students practiced their patterning.
Tomorrow is Treat Day, please remember to send in your quarter.

Wednesday, Nov. 21 - Fresh Air Learning

Due to the CBC music video that Mr. O'Reilly is working on with Gr. 1 to 6 students, the gym is not available. We are having our gym classes and some Fresh Air Learning lessons outside. Please, on a daily basis,  remember to send your child to school dressed to go outside. Today, many students did not have appropriate cold weather clothing.
Today, in Whispering Woods we went on a 'cooperative' scavenger hunt to find outdoor items that we could use to make number sets 1 to 10. Finding a very large stick for number '1' was so exciting!
It was interesting to watch some students add their objects to make the number (i.e.: total of 9), while others added their sets to the numbers (assorted sets of 9).  Of course this is all developmentally appropriate, and we learn by experimenting. Tomorrow, I'm hoping to try this activity again and it would be great not to have cold fingers.
I'm looking forward to seeing everyone at their conferences tomorrow and Friday. Please remember to bring your child with you! Thanks to our fabulous volunteers, we have some work that we would like to show you.
Please check my previous blog, so that you can note the date that your child is sharing their letter object. I was very impressed by our first group of students, who shared and spoke to their peers about their letter K objects.
Next week, with our Grade 3/4 buddies, we will begin to learn how to log onto the desktops in the Learning Commons. Learning to read numbers and type their CBE# as well as their three letter password is very important.
Please keep an eye on my blog for upcoming volunteering dates. In December, we could use your support in building 'Candy Houses' out of Graham crackers, decorating them, as well as other Christmas crafts and card making activities.

Wednesday, November 14 - Sharing Letter of the Week

On Monday, November 19, we would like to begin our ‘Letter of the Week’ sharing program. On the date specified below, your child is encouraged to bring to school, an object that begins with the letter of the week. By sharing their initial letter sound object, your child learns and shares their phonemic knowledge of their letter. Additionally, your child is learning to speak to the class in full sentences, and enjoy the opportunity to ‘show and share’. Please note that if needed, I will assist your child in sharing with the class.

***Please keep an eye my blog for possible changes to the dates for our letter of the week.

• November 19 - Letter K – Aditya, Alex, Andrea
• November 26 - Letter E – Ayaka, Case, Declan
• December 3 – Letter H – Eden, Erik, Franco
• December 10 – Letter R- Kaylee, Landon, Marek
• December 17 – No letter of the week
• January 7     Letter M – Porter, Richard, Samuel, Yazmin
• January 14     Letter D- Sebastian, Sihan, Juna, Zoe
• January 21 – Lacrosse – No letter of the week

Tuesday, November 6 - Buddies Tomorrow!

Today, your child's school pictures were sent home. Photo retakes of your child will be available this Thursday, Nov 8.
Poppy stickers will be available for our students to wear to our assembly. If you would like to donate to the Poppy Fund, we will have a donation box in our classroom. 
Tomorrow,  we are meeting our buddies from Rm. 5 to make some letter art.
For our ever changing weather, please ensure that your child wears winter clothing to keep them warm. This Friday, we are going down to Whispering Woods to search for more shapes in our environment. We are learning  how to use our knowledge of shapes, straight, and curved lines for drawing.
We are beginning to learn how to print our number words 0 to 10. I have sent a copy of our number rhymes  for  you to practice at home.  For our upcoming math activities inside, and outside the classroom, it is important for your child to become familiar with printing numbers.
If anyone is available next week, we are looking forward to having volunteers in our classroom!
Thank-you!

Friday, November 2

Monday, November 5 - Letter N
Wednesday, November 7 - Library and Buddies
Thursday, November 8 - Photo Retake in the morning
Friday, November 9 - Remembrance Day Assembly at 10:45, families are invited to attend

For the past few weeks, we began to learn about Kindness and how we show our kindness to our friends, families and teachers. We sit in a circle and take turns learning about how we are all unique and we often share 'compliments' to each other. Saying 'thank-you' for the compliments is also important. Often, our circle time becomes a time to share our thoughts and feelings, and what is the best way to express ourselves.
This week, we began to learn how to print the numbers 0 to 10. I have number rhymes, that I will share with you to assist our Kindees at home. We are practicing recognizing 2D shapes in the school and the world around us. Next we will be using our knowledge of lines and shapes to sketch what we see.
Thank-you volunteers for such a fabulous Pumpkin Party!
It was a huge success and a lot of fun! Our next party will be in December to celebrate Christmas.

Tuesday, October 30 - Happy Halloween and More!

Today, we enjoyed our first Treat Day. Everyone receives a treat! If you forgot to send in your quarter, just send it in the next day.
Tomorrow, is our Pumpkin Party. Please read my previous blog for details.
Due to our party, our Library time is rescheduled for Thursday.
This week we are learning about the Letter P and the sound it makes. It's always a great idea to review the printing of, and the sounds of the letters that we have introduced to the students.
S A T I P and next week is N
Also the letters in your child's name are also a great way to  learn, and practice your child's letters and sounds.
Happy Halloween!

Pumpkin Party -October 31

On Wednesday, October 31 the Kindergarten class will be having a Pumpkin Party. We have some exciting pumpkin activities planned for our special day. This year, for snack our students will be decorating a cookie. Students are welcome to come in costume, but please keep it practical for the school environment. No weapons of any sort, please!

• For many children, Halloween is a special celebration. However, we recognize that not all parents are supportive of this event. At Dr. E. W. Coffin School, our Halloween dress-up celebration for children is OPTIONAL. For those children who choose to dress-up, the following are our expectations; Students may dress-up in:

                        - ‘Regular’ non-violent Halloween costume,

                        - Costume that represents a character from one of their favorite novels, or

                        - Orange and/or black clothing

Three volunteers will be needed for our Pumpkin Party. If you are available to run an activity and/or provide us with some cookies (and decorations) to decorate our cookies) we would really appreciate your assistance. If you are available, please let me know via email.

Thank-you!

Tuesday, October 23 - Letter I and Pumpkins

This week, we are learning all about the letter I and how it sounds at the beginning of a word.
Next, we will be reading 'Pumpkin Pumpkin' by Jeanne Titherington. Through reading this story and a sequencing activity, students will be learning about the life cycle of a pumpkin seed. This story ties in nicely with our 'Little Green Thumbs' indoor garden.
Tomorrow is Library, and there are no classes for students on Friday, October 26.

Thursday, October 18 - Literacy Evening

Today, Mrs. Kidd our librarian gave everyone a 'pretend' library card to take home.
You can take this card to your local library to sign up for an account or go to their website.
See you this evening. If you are unable to attend our literacy evening, your child has a handout
in their classroom mail that contains a few ideas as well.
FAF tomorrow!

Monday, October 15 - Letter T

So far, we have learned about the letters S and A. Today, we shared our ideas for objects that start with the letter T.
There were many, interesting letter T ideas. Which I drew, and we sounded out the words on the smart board.
Teeth
Tim Horton's
Turtle
Terry Fox
Tea and Tea Cup 
Perhaps, you can find other objects that start with the letter T?
This week, we have Education, students visiting our school and observing in our classrooms. 
Library books are due tomorrow.
Picture Day is in Wednesday.
This Thursday evening, I am looking forward to sharing our literacy learning with you. This is an event where
you bring your child to show you our centers.

Thursday, October 11

Our Terry Fox Walk was a Great Success! Thank-you for your generous support for this fundraiser as well as the volunteers that assisted us with this event!

Monday, October 15 - Letter T - As a group we will be sharing words that start with the letter T. This will be followed by an introduction to printing the letter 'Tt'  and coloring pictures objects that start with the letter T.
Library Books Due - Tuesday, October 16
Library Book Exchange - Wednesday, October 17 - Due to Picture Day, we may change the day for Kindergarten Book Exchange.
Save The Date:
Wednesday, October 17 - Picture Day
Thursday, October 18 - Please mark your calendar for October 18 from 6-7:30 pm for a fun-filled and informative Literacy evening for parents and students to attend.
On Wednesday, October 31 the Kindergarten class will be having a Pumpkin Party. We have some exciting pumpkin activities planned for our special day. This year, our students will be decorating a cookie and enjoying some healthy, party food. Students are welcome to come in costume, but please keep it practical for the school environment. No weapons of any sort, please!

• For many children, Halloween is a special celebration. However, we recognize that not all parents are supportive of this event. At Dr. E. W. Coffin School, our Halloween dress-up celebration for children is OPTIONAL. For those children who choose to dress-up, the following are our expectations; Students may dress-up in:

                        - ‘Regular’ non-violent Halloween costume,

                        - Costume that represents a character from one of their favorite novels, or

                        - Orange and/or black clothing

Thursday, October 4 - Happy Thanksgiving!

Tomorrow, is our Terry Fox Run. Despite the weather, we are planning on jogging around the soccer field. As our weather is snowy and wet, it's likely best to 'jog' in our winter boots. Layers of clothing that your child can shed as they warm up, is recommended. Please ensure that you send a water bottle to school.
Monday, October 8 - Thanksgiving Holiday - Enjoy your time with family and friends
No letter of the week
Friday, October 12 - Fresh Air Friday #5
Wednesday, October 17 - Picture Day - Individual Student Photos

Tuesday, October 2 - Too much snow!

Goodbye Fall
Hello Winter
Just a wee bit frustrating! Please remember to stay safe on the roads. If you're running late, just check in at the office before you join us in the classroom. We will welcome you, no matter what time you arrive.

We are working on printing our upper, and lower case letter A's.
The letter A sound at the beginning of a simple word, is an early literacy
strategy, that we use at school. You are welcome to assist your child in
identifying the letter A in their surroundings and the sound(s) it makes.
Due to the weather, we have moved our Terry Fox, 'Endurance' running into the gym.
For every lap of the gym, the kindees get a Popsicle stick. Afterward, we sit in a circle and count
our Popsicle sticks and make sets for numbers 4 to 10. This is a great way to encourage the running aspect as well as some math skills!

Today, your child brought home their Scholastic Book flyers and their school photo brochure.
Sebastian's mom, Geneil has kindly offered to be our Scholastic Book Club parent volunteer.

Thursday, September 28 - SOGO and MORE!

Thank-you parent volunteers for this week's support of our SOGO orienteering and running residency.

Tracking our laps and time

Jogging the Circuit

If you have your security clearance, we are ready to welcome volunteers in our classroom. As we don't have a room parent just yet to coordinate our volunteers, please email me when you would like to volunteer.
If you are interested in coordinating our Kindergarten Scholastic Book Club, please let me know. This role involves preparing flyers to go home, using the website to order books and delivering books via student backpacks to our families. Scholastic Book Club is an excellent resource for home based  learning, as well as earning points and coupons for the purchase of classroom resources.

Monday, October 1 - Letter Aa

On a weekly basis, please return your library books by Tuesday so that our librarian, Mrs. Kidd  can track the return of your child's books. On Monday, and Tuesday of every week, we stack your child's books inside the classroom to be returned to the library. Once the books are checked back into the library computer system, Mrs. Kidd generates a list for who can take new books out. Every Wednesday, Mrs. Kidd goes through her list with the students. I do not monitor the return of books into the library, however I do try to remind the students to bring their books into the classroom, check backpacks when I get a chance, and deliver their books to the library.
Next week, weather permitting we will be outside on the soccer field, working on our 'endurance jogging' for the Terry Fox Run.
Save the Date:
Terry Fox Run - Friday, October 5 - we do have 3 parent volunteers scheduled for this event. We often have parents with toddlers or other family members join us as non-supervised participants. 
Students please bring a Toonie next week, assembly will be at 10:30, run starts at 10:45 – Kindergarten will return to class for their 11:20 AM dismissal.

Thursday, September 20 - Letter of the Week

On Monday, September 24, I will begin our 'Letter of the Week' literacy program. Our first letter will be the letter 'S'. Students will learn the sound for letter S and they will be introduced to printing the upper and lowercase letter. This year, I have have decided to introduce the sharing aspect of the 'Letter of the Week'  at a later date. You are more than welcome to review our weekly letter and it's sound at home.
Next week, we have a SOGO orienteering and running residency. Kindergarten, will have a time for this residency and a volunteer will be needed on a daily basis. I already have a parent volunteer for Thursday, Sept. 27 and Friday Sept. 28. However, we could use a volunteer for Monday, Sept. 24, Tuesday, Sept. 25 and Wednesday, Sept. 26. If you have your Volunteer Clearance, you are more than welcome to join us. My apologies for the short notice!
Please ensure that on a daily basis, your child is dressed for going outside.
Please check Mrs. Rennie's Worth Mentioning. It's looking like our Terry Fox Run will be rescheduled for Friday, October 5th.