Savanna 9-26-14

Dear Parents,

            It is so good to have had the feel of fall in the air this week!  We are well into our routines and the children are all working hard to keep up with their responsibilities.  I am very pleased with their (and your) efforts to date.  Remember this is a process and perfection is not expected, rather trying your best.

            The children have been learning about maps and globes in Social Studies, and how to organize information in their composition books.  In Math we continue to work with place value, how to identify numbers in a variety of ways.  In Language Arts the children have been learning how to identify important information in non-fiction text, identifying robust vocabulary words, using them in context, and learning about nouns. 

            I appreciate all the offers of help that I received at Back to School Night.  I will be reaching out to those of you who signed up over the weekend to confirm and work out the specifics of the different jobs.  I would also like to ask those of you who have yet to sign-up for a conference, to please do so as soon as possible.  The link was sent to your email, and was posted on the blog last week as well.

            In you child’s Friday Folder you will find the permission slip for the first field trip to the National Building Museum on October 17th.  We will only be able to take five chaperones on this trip.  However, we also will need chaperones for our trip to the Outdoor Lab on Monday, November 3^rd, and will be able to accommodate more parents on this trip. 

            I would like to remind everyone that the children might need a sweater or light jacket when they come to school as the temperature begins to fall.  This will also mean reminders to bring these items home each evening.  Please remember that we do go outside everyday, and we would like for your children to be dressed appropriately for the weather.  Also, we are beginning to see the first colds in the classroom.  When assessing your child’s ability to come to school with a cold, please remember that we ask if your child has a fever that they stay at home, and not return until they have been fever free for 24 hours.  If your child is sick and not coming to school, please call the Attendance Line (703-228-8320) and report your child’s absence.  Please know that in the classroom the children are being reminded to wash their hands several times a day, as well as to wipe down their desks a couple of times a week.

I hope everyone enjoys a relaxing weekend.

                                                                                    Sincerely,

                                                                                    Mrs. DiNardo

                                                                                    kim.dinardo@apsva.us

Upcoming Events

Thurs./Fri 10/9-10- Parent Teacher Conferences

         Monday 10/13- Columbus Day- No School for Students

         Wednesday 10/15- Silver Diner Night- 5-8pm

Friday 10/17- National Building Museum- 9am-12pm (see permission slip in Friday Folder)

         Friday 10/24- Harvest Fest 7pm

         Friday 10/31- Halloween Parade- 2pm

         Monday 11/3- Outdoor Lab Field Trip 9am-3pm

         Tuesday 11/4- Election Day- No School for Students/

         Teacher Work Day

Parent Teacher Conference Sign-Up

Good Morning-

I have just sent everyone an email with the link to sign-up for Parent Teacher Conferences. I have also included it here for your convenience.

www.SignUpGenius.com/go/10C0D44A8A82CA7FE3-201415

Mrs. D. 

9-19-14 Savanna

Dear Parents,

         I would like to thank those of you who were able to attend Back to School Night on Wednesday evening. It was so nice to meet you all.  I realize there was a lot of information shared in a short period of time, however I do hope you came away from the evening with a bit of an understanding about the year ahead.  While it is a year of change and transition for your child, remember, it is a process and there will be a lot of baby-steps along the way.

It is amazing to me that three weeks of school are under our belts.  We have accomplished quite a lot this month.  In Reading we are learning how to look for important words in non-fiction text, and to “read” the pictures for information.  In Math we have been reviewing number value and place and working with groups of ten and hundred.  Assignment notebooks and binders are now more familiar and papers are where they need to be for the most part.  Most importantly, we are enjoying each other’s company and learning to work together as a community of learners. Looking back there are many successes to celebrate. 

         Each fall we get a lot of questions about how you can contact the other children in the classroom.  The PTA does put out a phone directory, and they have asked we share this important information with you. 

TUCKAHOE ANNOUNCEMENTS:

BE INCLUDED IN THE TUCKAHOE DIRECTORY. The Tuckahoe directory is a valuable parent resource that lists the contact information for Tuckahoe families. It includes class lists and contact information for other Tuckahoe families. All continuing Tuckahoe families received a user ID and password last year. Go to schooldirectoryupdate.com to login and review and update your family's information. They also provide a link to help you reset your password if you have forgotten it. New to Tuckahoe? Please go  (on your computer, not mobile device!) to https://schooldirectoryupdate.com and click "Join as new family". Select Tuckahoe Elementary as the school and enter your contact information. Later this month, you'll receive information and access to the online directory; printed directories are published in October. Join the PTA! You can also join the PTA and pay for your membership ($5 per parent) on the site. If you have any questions, please email tuckahoedirectory@gmail.com.

                  I hope everyone has a nice weekend.

                                                             

Upcoming Events

             

Thurs./Fri 10/9-10- Parent Teacher Conferences

         Monday 10/13- Columbus Day- No School for Students

         Wednesday 10/15- Silver Diner Night- 5-8pm

         Friday 10/17- National Building Museum- 9am-12pm

        

Savanna- Friday September 12, 2014

Dear Parents,

We have accomplished quite a bit this week.  Most of the beginning of the year assessments are complete, transitions in the hallway are getting easier, and we have worked with all the new specialists. In Math we have been reviewing fact families, addition and subtraction facts.  The children have been taught several games they can pay to help reinforce these foundational skills, which they have enjoyed.  Assignment notebooks and binders are now more familiar and papers are where they need to be for the most part.  Most important is that we are enjoying each other’s company and learning to work together as a community of learners. Looking back there are many successes to celebrate. 

            As we look towards next week I want to bring your attention to Back to School Night on Wednesday evening, September 17th.  The program will begin at 7:00 pm in the Gym and then move into the classrooms.  I hope you will be able to join us for this evening of information, and opportunity to volunteer both in and outside of the classroom.

With this newsletter, I have begun my blog for this year.  You can access it through the main Tuckahoe Website.  Go to the “Classes” tab and click on “3^rd Grade”.  Under my name there is a link to my blog.  I will be using this my primary method to keep you up to date on what is happening both in our classroom as well as posting upcoming events.  As I will make updates to the Savanna during the week, I am asking that you visit this blog a couple of times per week to stay up to date on what is happening in our class.

As always, thank you for all you do to send your child to school excited and ready to learn.  Hope you all enjoy your weekend

                                                                                                Sincerely,

                                                                                    Mrs. DiNardo

                                                                                    kim.dinardo@apsva.us

Upcoming Events

                 

Wednesday 9/17- Back to School Night- 7-9 p.m.

Thurs./Fri 10/9-10- Parent Teacher Conferences

         Monday 10/13- Columbus Day- No School for Students

         Wednesday 10/15- Silver Diner Night- 5-8pm

         Friday 10/17- National Building Museum- 9am-12pm

         

Success in the Savanna

Dear Parents,

 Here we are at the end of the first week of Third Grade!  The children all did a very good job transitioning back from the summer and seemed, for the most part, to be glad to be back at school.

         We spent most of the week doing some “Get to Know You” activities, taking care of housekeeping items, and easing back into the daily routine of school. The children were excited to see old friends, and make some new ones as well. 

         In addition, we spent time this week learning how to fill in our assignment notebooks.  I am pleased with how well the children picked up on this process.  Each afternoon, for this month, I will be checking to make sure the children have all parts of this completed correctly.  I would like to ask that you sign their assignment notebook when they have completed their homework each night as well.  The children’s binders, and homework are one way I will be teaching them organizational skills and responsibility.  Please do not remove any papers from the binders without asking your child if it is all right to do so.  Many of the papers will be used in class on multiple days and without them, your child will not be prepared for class.

         Speaking of homework, you have some to do this weekend.  I have included a parent survey in your child’s binder and would like for you to fill this out and return it to school on Monday.  I would like to get to know them a bit better, and what better way than with your help.  Please know we will be able to talk more in depth as the year progresses and during Parent Teacher Conferences.

         By now, I hope you have had an opportunity to read both the yellow Third Grade Procedures note, as well as the blue Safe Snack note which were sent home on the first day of school.  Due to severe allergies in our class, we are a PEANUT FREE CLASS.  Your help in reviewing the safe snack note will be most helpful in keeping peanuts out of our room.   Another safety item of importance is the need to send a WRITTEN note in with your child should there be a change in dismissal on a given day. 

I also want to remind everyone of our annual Back to School Night on Wednesday, September 17th.  This will be an opportunity for me to share more specifics about the year ahead, and to answer any lingering questions.  I will also have sign up sheets available for fall conferences as well as volunteer opportunities. 

Thanks again for a great beginning to the school year.  I appreciate all you do at home and for sharing your children with me each day. I am looking forward to the year ahead.

                                                               Sincerely,

                                                               Mrs. DiNardo

                                                               kim.dinardo@apsva.us

Upcoming Events

         Wednesday 9/10- Enrichment sign-up begins- 10 a.m.

Wednesday 9/17- Back to School Night- 7-9 p.m.

Thurs./Fri 10/9-10- Parent Teacher Conferences

         Monday 10/13- Columbus Day- No School for Students