Ms. Piper’s Class Newsletter 5-18-18

Hello, preschool families! We hope this message finds you well. This is the last classroom newsletter for this year!

What We’re Learning

We just finished our current STEM Unit, Health and Exercise. The children enjoyed learning about ways we keep our bodies healthy, such as eating healthy foods, exercising, and going to the doctor and dentist. We had a mini gym in our classroom, complete with a yoga mat, weights, and a balance board.

In literacy, we have been focusing on beginning sounds in words and names, clapping out syllables, making blended words (such as “cupcake”), and beginning spelling skills. You can support these skills at home by helping your child think of words that start with the same sound (not letter, necessarily) as their names and helping your child clap out the syllables in their names and other words.

In math, we have been working on describing shapes, quantifying (telling “how many”) strategies, identifying numerals (0-10, 0r 0-20 for those who are ready), and number order. The kids love it when we try to “stump” them with math games, or when our puppet, “Mr. Mixup,” does math wrong and they have to correct him!

Important Dates

Thursday, May 24: End of Year Celebrations

·      AM Class: 10:40-11:10

·      PM Class: 2:35-3:05

Thank Yous

            We received so many wonderful flowers, gifts, and notes from parents and children during Teacher Appreciation week. Everything was so sweet, thank you!

PALS Scores

            Students who are exiting to kindergarten were given the PALS literacy screening in April, and a letter was sent home with a score on it. Some parents have asked for an explanation of what the score means. The score is compared to expectations for kindergarten, and help identify students who would benefit from extra instruction tailored to their needs. All students are given this same screening in kindergarten, at the beginning, middle, and end of the school year. A score of 28 or lower in the fall in kindergarten is an indicator that a student might require extra literacy instruction. Scores over 28 only tell us that a student does not require specialized instruction at the time.

PALS is only a screener, meaning it determines whether further testing or intervention might be needed. It can also be used to document and evaluate our school’s effectiveness in literacy instruction. It is not a full assessment of your child’s literacy skills.

Individual Learning Plans

            Your child’s Individual Learning Plan was sent home in yesterday’s folder. Good news: You do not have to sign and return it this time! If your child has an IEP, you will receive a progress report in next week’s folder.

It is hard to believe the school year is already coming to an end. Thank you all so much for the privilege of educating your children. They have grown so much and we will miss them! For those going to kindergarten, come back to visit if you can! Have a wonderful summer!

Ms. Piper and Ms. Sherry