Newsletter #5

 January 30^th Edition of

The Kindergarten Class News

Hello again!

It seems the cold winter weather has finally arrived. The kids are all wishing for snow!

 

This month we have done a lot! We made mitten art and writing inspired by the Jan Brett book, “The Mitten”, started learning about measurement and exploring how many ways we make five.

 

In science, we begin our penguin study and continued to observe the seasonal changes of the forest. 

 

The class has enjoyed learning basketball skills in the gym. 

 

One highlight was our story workshop session where the class learned about the elements of a story and made their own books! 

 

Next week will be “Qq” week for Show and Tell and is our early dismissal for Student Led Conferences. Class will be out at 12pm on the 5^th so please be sure you have after school plans in place as there won’t be supervision available. 

 

Kindergarten registration for the 2025-26 is now open so if you know of a family who is thinking about registering, please let them know to contact the office before February 15^th. 

 

There has been a very high level of illness around so please be sure to keep your child home if they are sick. A reminder that it is expected they stay home for 24 hours following vomiting, fever or diarrhea and at the onset of any cough or cold. Thank you!  

 

Important Dates to Remember:

February 13 PAC Dance

February 14 Valentines Day

February 17 Family Day (no school)

February 21 School in session 

February 26 Pink Shirt Day

 

Warmly,

Ara Van Riel

avanriel@sd64.org

Making play dough!

Creating our animal stories

Fun with mud

Math with cuisinart rods.

Penguin themed literacy activity.

      

 

  

 

Newsletter #4

 December 19^th Edition of

The Kindergarten Class News

Hello Everyone!

Here is our last newsletter before the break!

 

December has been a busy month, full of festive events! The Winter concert was a highlight! Thank you to everyone who came out to support the kids. They worked hard! 

 

The Re-Gift Fest was another wonderful event, and I hope you all enjoy your gift that was thoughtfully picked out by your child.

 

We decorated the school Christmas tree and had so much fun decorating (and eating) gingerbread cookies!

 

We have been learning more about patterns and shapes with Sue and I hope you enjoyed the little pattern books that went home. 

 

On Thursday we had our first Read-In! Kids signed up to hear holiday stories and went to hear them in multi-aged groups. 

 

In the midst of all of the fun, the children have continued learning all about reading and writing and have shown amazing growth! I’m so proud of all their progress and thank you for helping at home.

 

Green art folders were sent home. If you can send the folders back to be re-filled, that would be great!  

 

Important Dates to Remember:

January 6 School re-opens.

 

Wishing you all a wonderful holiday and we will see you next year!

 

Warmly,

Ara Van Riel 

avanriel@sd64.org

Water play!

Making cards

Christmas trees out of nature

Decorating!

Gingerbread!

Getting gifts wrapped at the Re-Gift Fest

Making our pattern books

On our way to the Winter Concert!

We made nature wands

 

Newsletter #3

 November 28th Edition of

The Kindergarten Class News

Hello Everyone! Here is your monthly update.

Over the last month we have done a lot! We have moved on from counting collections to skip counting and learning about shapes and patterns. Our district math teacher, Sue Robinson, has started coming in every Thursday morning at 9am to help facilitate math exploration. 

 

Our UFLI literacy program is going very well. This structured approach of guided literacy is teaching the kids how to link sounds to letters and words, sight words and printing. They are all doing so well! 

 

We have also been learning about rhyming, categories, descriptive language and turn taking in our Oral language groups every Monday. These skills are the building blocks of reading and writing. 

 

Speaking of reading, thank you to everyone who has embraced the home reading program! I appreciate the extra support and the kids are feeling proud of their extra practice! Our in school reading time is going well and everyone is learning good strategies. 

 

We have finished up our unit on hibernation and continue to notice seasonal changes happening around us.    

 

We have been working hard practicing our song for the Winter Concert. The class will be preforming the song, “Old Toy Trains”. The concert takes place on the evening of the 18^th.

 

Our annual Re-Gift Fest is coming up on December 12th! This is a special Fulford tradition. Please remember to bring in any lightly used items to the office starting Monday, December 5th. We encourage families to donate the same number of items as the number of people in their immediate family. Each class will get to go and choose a gift to wrap and bring home to give to immediate family members on Christmas (or other special time if you don’t participate in Christmas). It’s a nice lesson on giving that we all enjoy every year. If any of you would like to help wrap presents, please email fulfordpac@gmail.com

 

Important Dates to Remember:

December 4 Kindergarten hearing screening

December 9-11 Re-gift Fest donations brought in.

December 12 Re-gift Fest “shop”

December 18 Winter Concert 

December 20 Winter Break begins

January 6 School back in session 

 

Enjoy your weekend!

Warmly,

Ara Van Riel

avanriel@sd64.org

One of our literacy stations

tessellating turtles

balance 

Counting how many "nuts" the squirrels collected for winter!

Another literacy centre.

Creating shape art