| Home | Staff | School News | Newsletters | Parent Council News/Min | EQAO | Canadian Parents for French |
Les nouvelles de la classe de Mme Gibbon
Mai
2008
What’s happening in May?
Spring has sprung! Dufferin will be holding an open house on Thursday May 1st to showcase our students’ achievements. Everyone is welcome, so please come out and see what we have been working on!
This month we will continue to focus on growth and will be spending time outside investigating all that nature has to offer. We will be visiting a local greenhouse to continue with our theme. More information will follow.
Thank you to all of our parent volunteers who helped on our trip to Apps Mill Nature Centre. We really enjoyed learning about Maple syrup!
Although spring is here, we are now faced with a very wet and muddy playground. Please make sure that your child still has an extra set of clothing for those rainy days and puddles. It is also important for all students to have a pair of indoor shoes so that our classroom stays mud free!
Freezies are here!
Every Monday and Friday freezies will be sold to all students at the cost of
$1.00. If interested, please send the exact change in your child’s lunch
bag so they are able to purchase their Freezie during lunchtime. The grade
four and five classes have begun fund-raising to offset the cost of their
year-end trip to Medieval Times.
Language: Our reading groups are still going strong and we will continue to work hard in this area. With our focus on spring, we are going to continue our word study about our favourite spring activities.
Math: We will continue to explore three-dimensional shapes and their properties. We will also continue to explore different Canadian coins using manipulatives, as well as strengthen our understanding of time.
Science: In May we will continue to focus on living and non-living things, as well as explore the habitats of our favourite animals. We will also continue to investigate the growth process of plants and animals. We are currently growing a marsh, and will begin some planting of our own as well!
Important Dates:
| April 28-May 2 | Education week | 
|
| May 1 | Dufferin Open House - 6pm - 7:30 pm | |
| May 5, 6 | Dental Screening | |
| May 8 | Dufferin Parent council Fun Fair | |
| May 15 | Visit to a greenhouse | |
| May 16 | Visit to a greenhouse | |
| May 16 | Pizza Day | |
| May 19 | Victoria Day - No school |
Classroom needs: We are in desperate need of wet (baby wipes). Any donations would be greatly appreciated
As always, if you have any concerns or questions please feel free to contact me.
Merci,
Mme Gibbon
Les nouvelles de la classe de Mme Gibbon
Avril 2008
What’s happening in April?
Spring has sprung! With the warm weather approaching, this month we will be focusing on growth and will be spending time outside investigating all that nature has to offer. We will be visiting Apps Mill Nature Centre on the 8th and the 14th of April to start our spring program!
Thank you to all of our parent volunteers who helped on our trip to Brantford Public library. We had a great time!
Although spring is here, we are now faced with a very wet and muddy playground. Please make sure that your child still has an extra set of clothing for those rainy days and puddles. It is also important for all students to have a pair of indoor shoes so that our classroom stays mud free!
Popcorn is here! Every Tuesday and Wednesday popcorn will be sold to
all
students at the cost of $1.50 per bag. If interested, please send the exact
change in your child’s lunch bag so they are able to purchase their
popcorn during lunchtime. The grade three classes have begun fund-raising to
offset the cost of their trip to the science center.
Language: Our reading groups are still going strong and we will continue to work hard in this area. With our focus on spring, we are going to create our very own books talking about our favourite spring activities.
Math: We will continue to explore three-dimensional shapes and their properties. This month, we are going to become builders and create a home out of three-dimensional shapes. We will also begin to explore different Canadian coins using manipulatives.
Science: In April, we will continue to focus on living and non-living things, as well as explore the habitats of our favourite animals. We will also investigate the growth process of plants and animals.
Bonne Fête à:
- Hero April 3 Emma S April 14
- Haley
April 25 Katelyn S April 27
Also happy belated birthday to:
- Eric March 8 Riven March 27
Important Dates:
| April 8 | Apps Mill Nature Centre (Tuesday class) |
|
| April 14 | Apps Mill Nature Centre (Monday Class) | |
| April 18 | PD Day - no school | |
| April 22 | Earth Day | |
| April 25 | Pizza day | |
| April 26 | Best Start Parent Information Fair (at Branlyn) |
Les nouvelles de la
classe de Mme Gibbon
mars
2008
What’s happening in March?
February has come and gone, and
spring is just around the corner!
March is literacy month, and we have many
special activities planned to celebrate literacy and also to celebrate our
successes in literacy. Later in the month, we will be visiting the public
library. More details will follow when available. We will also be
celebrating the first day of spring on March 20th.
Although spring is quickly
approaching, for the moment it is still cold, snowy and very wet. Please
make sure that your child has a change of clothes at school, as well as an
extra pair of mittens.
Popcorn is here! Every Tuesday and
Wednesday popcorn will be sold to all students at the cost of $1.50 per bag.
If interested, please send the exact change in your child’s lunch bag so
they are able to purchase their popcorn during lunchtime. The grade three
classes have begun fund-raising to offset the cost of their trip to the
science center.
Our take home reading program is still going strong! This month, reading logs will be attached to the back of your child’s jolly phonics duotang for organizational purposes. Please remember to send back your child’s book every day as we use them in class. If your child has not returned their book, they will not receive their new book.
You will be receiving an update of your child’s progress in language this month. At home, please continue reviewing the jolly phonics letters and sound blends as these sounds are the foundation for successful readers.
Language: As this is literacy month,
we will become authors and create our very own books. We will celebrate our
successes as authors by publishing and reading our finished books during
shared reading. We have been working very hard in our reading groups and
will continue to do so in the upcoming month. We will also be working on
decoding sight words. A list of these words will be sent home with your
child, please review these words so your child can easily identify each
word.
Math: We will continue to practice counting to 100 and start counting backwards from 20. We will continue with measurement and work on measuring items using different measurement tools. Finally, we will begin to explore three-dimensional shapes and their properties.
Science: This month as the season begins to change, we will focus on living and non-living things, as well as explore the habitats of our favourite animals.
Bonne Fête
à:
| Abigail March 7 | Isaiah March 27 |
Important Dates:
| March 7-14 | MARCH BREAK – no school |
| March 20 | First day of spring |
| March 21 | Good Friday – no school |
| March 24 | Easter Monday – no school |
| ***Due to the short month, there will be no pizza days*** | |
Les nouvelles de la
classe de Mme Gibbon
février 2008
What’s happening in February?
February is Friendship month. During the upcoming days, the students will learn about what a friend sounds like, acts like, and looks like, as well as practice and demonstrate these skills in the classroom. We will also learn about Le Carnaval de Quebec and participate in some outdoor related activities!
On February 14th and 15th, we will be having a Valentine’s Party. Students are welcome to bring in healthy snacks to share with the class. These snacks can even be the colour red to go along with our theme! (E.g. Red fresh fruit, red drinking boxes, red jell-o cups etc).
|
Valentine’s Day Cards If your child was planning to deliver Valentine cards to all the students in the class, please see the "Valentine’s Day" instructions, class list, and "mailing schedule" that was sent home this week in your child’s communication bag. |
In language we will continue with new letters and sounds from our Jolly Phonics program, and continue working in our reading groups focussing on blending sounds, decoding new words, and identifying and recording the syllables in our names and other familiar words.
In math, science and technology the students will begin working on their snowman math booklets, and counting to 100 on our 100's chart. At the math centre the students will have an opportunity to measure the length of different size paper icicles using unifix cubes, as well as experiment with scales to determine items that are light and heavy.
We will continue with our take home reading program! Parents are encouraged to please return the large ziploc bag and the reader each day to school. Students must have their large ziploc bag returned to school before they may sign out a new book. Happy reading!
|
Important Dates
|
|
Bonne Fête aux célébrants pour les mois de janvier et février: Meghan
January 9 |
As always, if you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me at school at (519) 752-8232.
Mme Gibbon
Les
nouvelles de la classe de Mme. Gibbon
janvier
2008
Happy New Year and Welcome back! I hope everyone has had a wonderful holiday and ready to come back feeling refreshed and energized.
What’s happening in January?
This month, there are many new and exciting activities awaiting for your children to explore. Our focus for the month of January will be on Winter Fun! We will discuss the names of various winter clothing and our favourite winter activities. Later during the month we will learn about Le Carnaval de Quebec and participate in some outdoor related activities!
In language we will review the Jolly Phonics sounds and letter names from term one and then continue with the next set of letters and sounds for term two. We will continue working in our reading groups focussing on blending sounds, decoding new words, and identifying and recording the syllables in our names and other familiar words.
In math and science and technology, the students will explore and create 2D and 3D shapes using toothpicks and marshmallows, graph their favourite winter activities, experiment with mixing primary colours on snow to create secondary colours, while discovering the properties of snow. The children will also continue with their patterning skills, as well as sequence numbers 1-10 for JK and 1-20 for SK.
In music and drama, the students will enjoy singing and acting out various winter songs and comptines, and perform them for each other at the drama centre.
Our take home reading program has begun! Just a reminder to fill in the reading log every time that you read with your child. Also, readers are to be sent back to school with your child every day. It is also important that the books are not to be coloured or written in. The books will be sent to numerous homes, so please make sure they are kept in good shape. Please read the story with your child and have him/her point to the words as you read. Happy reading!
|
Appreciation Corner A special THANK YOU to all the families who came out to our Open House. Your presence made the event a wonderfully successful one! Merci! Also, a very special MERCI to all families who so generously donated baking supplies for our cookie making project. It was very much appreciated. |
|
Special Request Any extra foil pie plates or empty baby food jars, that might be spared for our science table and paint corner, would be much appreciated. Merci. |
|
In class visits for JK parents During the last two weeks of January, JK parents will have an opportunity to observe their child for a part morning. A letter will be sent home in the next few days indicating scheduled dates and time. |
|
Milk Program There is a correction to the Tuesday/Thursday milk program form. Due to the number of days in term 2, the cost for white milk is $24.00, and $25.00 for chocolate. If you have already sent in a payment by cheque, just send in the difference ($ for white and $ for chocolate ) in cash in your child’s labelled ziploc bag. I will submit all payments to the office. Merci. |
Important Dates to Note
| January 7 | First Day of School - Term 2 |
| January 21-31 | In-class visit - JK parents |
| January | Carnival Games - outside - parents volunteers are most welcome (All volunteers must have current police check, and completed an orientation with Mme. Peters, and filled in green Volunteer package). |
| January 31 | Pizza Day - Tuesday/Thursday class |
|
F rench ResourcesHere are some good French resources and suggestions to fill your home with the sounds of French during the wonderful days of winter. ˆ Watch French TV (French cartoons on Saturday) or view children’s movies on DVD - selecting the French option.‡ Leap Frog - Fridge Phonics Magnetic - French version - Toys R usˆ Leap Pad - French Version with French Stories - Toys R us
|
|
M ore ResourcesThese following items are also used in our classroom and may be purchased through Amazon, The Learning Tree in Burlington, or possibly could be ordered through our local Teacher stores: The Learning Factory, or Scribble to Scribe. ˆA book: Comptines (picotines, rigoletes, ratatouilles) and comes with CD by KIDZUP - We use this book everyday in class during story time - the children have memorizes several of these pomes and just love them! ‡CD: J’apprends mon ABC by KIDZUP ˆCD: Couleurs, Formes et Grandeurs by KIDZUP ‡CD: Les Sons et les Syllabes by KIDZUP (excellent for SK students) |
As always, if you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me at school
(519) 752-8232Mme Gibbon
Les nouvelles de la
classe de Mme Gibbon
Décembre 2007
I can’t believe it’s almost Christmas break! I would like to thank all of the parents who volunteered their time in our classroom or who have donated items on our wish list. Your generosity is appreciated! The Dufferin Christmas Open House will take place on Thursday December 20th from 6:00 - 7:30. Please drop in for some crafts and Christmas Cheer with your family.
Just a reminder to please send your child to school everyday with his/her communication bag. This is very important for our routines, and is the easiest way for me to ensure that newsletters/information is being received at home. If you have lost the communication bag, please send me a note and it will be replaced. It is also important that students complete their jolly phoniques worksheet. These letters and sounds play an important role in our reading program at school, and need to be reinforced at home on a regular basis. Students are to complete the new worksheet and review all of the sounds (along with the action they make) every day.
As the cold weather is upon us, please make
sure that your child is able to dress his/her self independently from
beginning to end. It is also very important that every child has a pair of
indoor shoes that are left at school so that we do not track mud and snow
into the class. If your son/daughter has not yet brought his/her indoor
shoes to school, please send a pair of shoes with your child as soon as
possible. Please make sure that your child’s shoes are clearly labeled to
avoid confusion. Furthermore, if you have not yet sent in a change of
clothes for your child, please do so as soon as possible as well. Accidents
do happen, and it is much easier to have a change of clothes available for
your child.
Our take home reading program has begun! Just a reminder to fill in the reading log every time that you read with your child. Also, readers are to be sent back to school with your child every day. It is also important that the books are not to be coloured or written in. The books will be sent to numerous homes, so please make sure they are kept in good shape. Please read the story with your child and have him/her point to the words as your read. Happy reading!
Bonne Fête à:
Alex T - Dec. 20
Important dates to note:
- December 6/7 SK interviews (if not already complete), Book Fair
- December 7 PD Day
- December 19 Pizza Day
- December 19/20 SK report Cards sent home
- December 20 Christmas open house - 6:00 - 7:30
- December 22 Last Day of School
- January 7 First Day of School
- December wish list: Our class is in need of empty baby food jars (with lids).
Thank you!
As always, if you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me at school (519) 752-8232, or by e-mail sschuer@fc.gedsb.net.
Merci,
Mme Gibbon
Les nouvelles de la classe de Mme Gibbon
Novembre 2007
Wow! The first two months have flown by and
our classroom routines are finally falling into place. Our first field trip
to Brantwood farms was a great success - Thank you to all of the parents who
volunteered their time.
Just a reminder to please send your child to school everyday with his/her communication bag. This is very important for our routines, and is the easiest way for me to ensure that newsletters/information is being received at home. It is also important that students complete their jolly phoniques worksheet. These letters and sounds play an important role in our reading program at school, and need to be reinforced at home on a regular basis. Students are to complete the new worksheet and review all of the sounds (along with the action they make) every day.
As the cold weather is upon us, please make
sure that your child is able to dress his/her
self independently from
beginning to end. It is also very important that every child has a pair of
indoor shoes that are left at school so that we do not track mud and snow
into the class. If your son/daughter has not yet brought his/her indoor
shoes to school, please send a pair of shoes with your child as soon as
possible. Please make sure that your child’s shoes are clearly labeled to
avoid confusion. Furthermore, if you have not yet sent in a change of
clothes for your child, please do so as soon as possible as well. Accidents
do happen, and it is much easier to have a change of clothes available for
your child.
We have been working hard on dressing
"Louie la grenouille" so that he is dressed and ready for the
weather outside. There is a website that you can access - http://www.theweathernetwork.com/schools/CAONPOI2154449/caon0081
for our school that describes the weather and
shows pictures of clothing needed for the weather. This is a great tool that
can be used at home to ensure that your child knows how to dress
appropriately for the weather.
We will begin our take home reading program this month. Each
night, a
reader will be sent home with your child. These readers are to be sent back to school
with your child every day. It is also important that the books are not to be
coloured or written in. The books will be sent to numerous homes, so please
make sure they are kept in good shape. Please read the story with your child
and have him/her point to the words as your read. A letter regarding the
take home reading program expectations will be sent home with your child
once the program starts. Happy reading!
Bonne Fête à:
Important dates to note:
| November 2 | Spirit wear orders due |
| November 8 | Volunteer orientation - 9:00am |
| November 9 | Remembrance Day Assembly - 11:15 |
| November 19 | Photo Retake Day |
| November 21/22 | Scholastic book orders due |
| November 21 | Pizza Day |
November wish list: Our class is in need of empty baby food jars (with lids) and plastic forks and spoons. Thank you!
As always, if you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me at school (519) 752-8232, or by e-mail sschuer@fc.gedsb.net.
Merci,
Mme Gibbon
Les nouvelles de la classe
de Mme Gibbon What’s happening in October! October is here with the leaves beginning to change colours and the smell
of autumn in the air! Thank you for getting your child to school at 8:50 am sharp every
morning! It makes it so much easier getting our school day going. Students
really enjoy our Message of the Day. This month we will carry on working with Jolly Phonics, continue learning
colours, and introduce some basic fall vocabulary. Students will also
continue to work on numbers and shape recognition in French. Important Dates to Note Jolly Phonics Our Jolly phonics program has gotten well on the way. Each day your son /
daughter will bring home a new homework sheet with the letter of the day.
This worksheet goes into your child’s Jolly phonics duotang. Students are
to review the letters and the sound they make (with the corresponding action
- as shown on the worksheet) every day. How students are to fill out the Jolly Phonics Worksheet October wish list: Glue sticks - We are in need of new glue sticks!
Any glue stick, as long as it is non-toxic and can do the job well, will do! Field trip - Brantwood Farms: October 24th (yellow class) and
26th (blue class) Our first field trip is fast approaching! Permission slips will be sent
home on Wednesday and Thursday. Please look for it in your child’s
communication bag. If you enjoy picking apples, and going on a hay ride, you will enjoy this
trip! "
octobre 2007 
Bonne Fête à:
Connar - Sept 8 Ainsley - Sept 22 Thoreyn - Oct 6 Frankie - Oct 10
Madison - Oct 20
Étoile du jour:
Each day a student is chosen to be our Star for the day. This student performs special jobs through out the day. E.g. line leader, brings the attendance or special notes to the office with a buddy.
Aide dans la class (classroom helpers):
Part of the kindergarten experience is experiencing a sense of belonging. One of the ways this is accomplished is having students participate in special jobs within the classroom. E.g. stacking chairs, placing writing tools at the tables, collecting writing tools after a work session, feeding the fish, etc.
When selecting winter wear for the upcoming cold weather, please look
for coats and boots that your child can successfully and easily manoeuver
independently. If your child is unable to do up the zippers on her boots,
please help her select an easier pair.
Here are a few guide lines to keep in mind:
- Can my child take off and put on her/her coat independently
from beginning to
end - Can she zip or button her coat up on her own
- Can my child pull on and take off his/her boots without any assistance
Bienvenue and Welcome to Kindergarten!
Bonjour! Welcome to École Dufferin for all our new families and welcome back to all returning families. It is hard to believe that September is already here. We hope that you have had a wonderful summer, and we are thrilled to once again begin a new school year. This is a very exciting time for your child and we are eager to start our new school year together and to get to know all of you better. This year, Mme. Gibbon and Mlle. Spicer will be working closely as a team to ensure the best program kindergarten program for your child.
Communication
To ensure a successful school year for the children, it is important that the teacher and the parents/guardians work together as a team. The most important thing we can do is to keep the lines of communication open. Communication Bags will be distributed, (a plastic bag with your child’s name on it) to each child. This bag will be used daily to pass information from school to home and vice versa. Any newsletters or reminders will be sent home in the Communication Bag. If you have questions or forms to return, please put them in the bag and we will read them daily. It will be built into your child’s daily routine at the start and end of each day that we collect/handout the communication bags. It is important that each child comes to school every day with the bag, even if it is empty.
Inside the communication bag will be a smaller Ziploc bag with your child’s name on it. When sending money, please put it in the smaller ziploc bag with your child’s name and indicate what the money is for.
Please keep the school informed with your current address, telephone / cell and work phone numbers in case of an emergency.
Your child will receive a monthly newsletter and calendar outlining the special events and all other information or classroom news.
Your child will have daily outdoor playtime. Please make sure that your child is dressed appropriately, and that he/she is able to dress for the outdoors independently. Your child will be participating in a physical education (gym) class every day that he/she is at school. For this reason, please send your child to school with a pair of "indoor only", non-marking (Velcro fastened) running shoes that can be left at school for daily use. Students will be participating in gym class in the clothes that they are wearing so please keep this in mind when choosing the appropriate clothes for the day. Girls are asked to wear their hair tied back, and if wearing a dress to school, please wear a pair of shorts under their dress. This year, I am asking that each child bring in an extra set of clothes to be left at school in case of an accident. Please include and label (socks, a change of underwear, a pair of short and long pants, and a short and long sleeve top). These items can be placed in a small bag with your child’s name clearly labeled on the bag so that it can be returned. In addition, Please label all of your child’s belongings (coat, backpack, sweater, gloves, hat, boots, etc) with a permanent or fabric marker to ensure that the items you send to school will find their way back home with your child. Your child should wear clothing that he/she can zip up independently.Balanced Day
Starting this September, all schools in the Grand Erie District School Board will be switching to a balanced day. This means that students will be given two 20-minute nutrition breaks followed by 20 minutes of outdoor play. Students are encouraged to bring lunches and snacks which are healthy and easy to handle and that can be consumed within the allotted eating time. Please remember to send a spoon for your child to use when sending items such as applesauce, fruit cups, yogurt, soup, pudding etc. Please note that candy and pop are discouraged at school. We will be learning about healthy eating and living, so this would be a great start! I have attached an information sheet for meal ideas and tips regarding the balanced day.For many kindergarten students this will be the first time where they are "in charge" of what they eat. As a result some students may become confused about what foods to eat and when. Have your child help prepare his/her lunches and play a game with your child to see if he/she can identify what foods are to be eaten during the first or second break.
Peanut Alert
Please remember that we are a "peanut-alert school" due to allergies. Please help keep our school safe for all of our students. When preparing lunches take special care not to send any food item that contains nuts or items that have MAY CONTAIN NUTS on the label.
If your child is bring in a snack to be shared with the class (ie: Birthday treats) due to the new health regulations, all classroom treats must be store bought and peanut free to help protect our students with allergies.
Dufferin offers a milk program starting in October for all students. A form will be sent home mid-September with more details such as prices and choices of chocolate or white milk.
Daily Procedures
School begins at 8:50 a.m. The children are dismissed at 3:10 p.m. Parents are asked to wait in the schoolyard by the Kindergarten door for your child to be dismissed to you.
Your child’s safety is our number one concern at Dufferin and all teachers are required to keep a record of how students go home from school. If your child’s daily routine should change (he/she will not be taking the bus home, you will be picking him/her up, etc), please call the secretary before and inform her of the change. Also, please send me a letter via the communication bag with the details of the change. Please note: I must send your child home in the regular way unless I receive written permission to do otherwise. Also I will need a list of any persons who are denied access to your child.
Safety
In order to help keep your child safe, please help your child learn his/her first and last name, parent's names, address, and telephone number. If your child is bussed, help him/her learn their bus number. If your child walks to school, practice the best way to and from school, learning the safest places and way to cross the streets. Help him/her know what to do if lost, hurt or scared.
Washroom Breaks
Your child should be able to use the bathroom independently. If a child has an ‘accident’ and cannot clean him/herself, the child’s parent or guardian will be called to come to the school. Students will be given breaks to use the washroom, and are encouraged to ask if they need to "go". Please practice with your child on the correct use of the washroom (flushing the toilet, washing your hands after using the toilet) to help prevent any accidents from occurring.
School Supply Checklist:
The school will provide most supplies that your child needs. However, in order for your student to be prepared for the year, we ask that your child bring in the following list of supplies:
A backpack - Each child should bring a backpack (with his or her name on it) to school each day. It should be large enough to hold a regular size piece of paper without it folding, along with their lunch. Please check his/her backpack each day for work or notes.
Gym shoes – non-marking, Velcro fastened running shoes. PLEASE make sure your child’s name (not initials) is CLEARLY LABELLED in black marker on the back of each shoe.
An extra set of clothing, clearly labeled…just in case.
Each child is asked to contribute one box of Kleenex to be shared with the class.
Each child is asked to contribute one package of wet wipe/ baby wipe refills. These wipe are great when cleaning up art activities, as well as spills and messes during nutrition breaks.
Please label all of your child’s belongings with his/her full name. This will help reduce the loss of clothing and other items.
Markers, highlighters, pencil crayons, glue and tape are discouraged in the classroom. Your child will be given these supplies when they are required.
General Information
As always, we are looking for volunteers to help in our classroom, and on school trips. As per Grand Erie District School Board regulations, all volunteers are required to complete a police check, provide two character references and complete a brief orientation. The parent Council group has arranged for a representative to be present during meet the teacher night in order to help complete the necessary paperwork. If you wish to become a volunteer, please complete the attached volunteer checklist and send it back to school with your child.
We are looking forward to a great year, and can’t wait to get started. As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to write a note in your child’s communication bag, or telephone us at the school. Please leave a detailed message in our voice mail and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
Merci,
Mme. Gibbon and Mlle. Spicer