May 27, 2016
Dear Parents,
This week, the students have been talking all about summer and the things they are looking
forward to doing when they are out of school. On Monday, the students wrote in their journals about
a place they would like to go this summer and one thing they would like to do. On Tuesday, the
students had their last OT group with Mrs. Tessa and the children used simple shapes to learn how to
draw a bumblebee. On Wednesday, the students finished the last math test in their math workbooks
for the year. I am so very proud of the smart mathematicians they have become this year! On
Thursday, the students wrote a journal page about what they want to be when they grow up. It was
fun to see all the different jobs and community helpers they are eager to become in the future!
Today, the students had a great time learning in their Exploremore Day classes. Thank you to all of
our parent volunteers who helped us today, and to the PTA for providing wonderful learning
experiences for all of our students on this special day!
On Monday and Tuesday of next week, we will be talking about the students’ favorite units and
activities from this school year. Each child will also have a chance to pick out a few of their favorite
paper copy books from their book boxes to take home and read this summer.
Today in the Friday folder, will find a special notepad made for you by the students in our
class, and a DVD gift for you from this school year. The DVD should work in a DVD player or on a
computer. Please let me know if you have any problems viewing the DVD at home. The students will
be watching their videos in the morning on the last day of school so they can see all their photos and
their friends’ photos from the school year. You will also find a special calendar full of pictures of your
child throughout the school year. This Memory Calendar is my end of the year gift to you for all of
your support of our Instructional Kindergarten class this school year. Your calendar begins June 1 st
2016 and goes through May 2017, so you can use it for next school year. I have also included a bag
of all the photos that we have taken of your child this school year.
Many parents have asked about extra practice activities that they can use during the summer
to help avoid the “summer slide” of skills your child has learned this school year. In your child’s
backpack today, I have included a Kindergarten Summer Practice packet full of Math and Reading
activities, and a summer writing journal. Half of the journal pages have writing prompts to give the
students an idea to write about, and the blank pages are for free writing on topics your child chooses
to write about that day. Reading books and writing every day is a great way to help keep your child’s
academic skills sharp so they are ready to continue learning in August when they go back to school.
As the school year comes to a close next week, I would like to thank each and every one of
you for all of your support this school year! All of the students have made so much progress this
school year in so many ways, and that is all due to the continued support and encouragement you
have provided at home with the skills we taught this year in the classroom. Thank you again for all
you have done to make this school year so successful for the students in our Instructional
Kindergarten class!
Summer Books, Bikes & Bubbles - Emerson’s second annual outdoor lending library will take
place this summer! Emerson staff will have the outdoor library open from 11-1:00 every Wednesday
starting June 8th. Join us on Emerson’s front porch to pick out some new book titles. Just stop by or
bring a blanket and plan to stay for a while. We hope to see you there!
Reminders:
May 30 – Memorial Day – No School
June 1 – End of the Year Party (2:15pm) & Last Day of School
Have a wonderful long weekend!
Miss Jen Hottendorf