March 2015

Dear Parents,                                                                      

With all the cold weather lately, it is hard to believe that spring is not far away.  In just a few short weeks, however, spring will officially arrive, and with it, the glory of God’s creation as it begins to blossom.  If you’ve never taken the time to fully appreciate the signs of spring, do so this year.  Each new leaf, robin, and bud is a gift that God has sent for us to enjoy, and to remind us that He makes all things new.

I received so many lovely Valentines, and I would like to thank each and every child for being an important part of my life.  You are loved and appreciated! 

Some of our memory work for March will coordinate with our March bulletin board.  If you have a chance to come in to see our Woolly Lambs and Mrs. Ingiosi’s Ferocious Lions, please do so!  Our first verse for March will be Proverbs 28:1:  “The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion.”  This will be tested on Tuesday, March 10.  The second verse for March will be Revelation 5:12:  "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!"  This will be tested on Wednesday, March 18 .  Please take time at home to help your child learn these verses.  The final memory work for March will be Matthew 28:6: “He is not here, for He has risen, as He said.  Come, see the place where He lay.”  This will be due on Tuesday, March 31.

Thursday, March 26 will be  Book Character Day.  Children are invited to dress as a favorite book character. 

The third quarter will end on Tuesday, March 24.  Report cards will be available Tuesday, March 31.

On Friday, March 27, the first grade classes will be going on a field trip to the Chester County Historical Society for a look at Victorian Childhood.  This is a fabulous trip, one the children are sure to remember.  Parents are welcome to attend.  The cost for parents is $7.00.  Please keep in mind that we cannot allow siblings to attend our field trips.  Permission slips for this trip will be sent home as the date approaches.

There will be no school from Thursday, April 2-Monday, April 6, in observance of the Easter holiday. 

As our year continues to progress, I must emphasize the importance of working with your child at home to reinforce what he or she is learning.  Good study habits begin at an early age.  Take some time each evening to practice spelling words, math flashcards, and the Bible memory verse.  Even just a few minutes for each area can make a huge difference.  Thank you for your continued faithfulness in supporting your child’s education.

         

Please remember to send items in for our class basket for the Silent Auction.  Our theme is Bundle of Joy, items for mom and baby.  Thanks!

          Classroom Birthdays:
                   March 4 - Elijah

                   March 10 - Anthony
                   March 19 - Emma

Important Dates to Remember:

          ~Tuesday, March 10 – Proverbs 28:1 due

          ~Wednesday, March 18 – Revelation 5:13b due
          ~Thursday, March 19 - Snow Make-up Day - - There WILL be school.

          ~Friday, March 20 – Teacher Inservice; no school.

          ~Tuesday, March 24 – Third Quarter Ends

          ~Thursday, March 26 – Book Character Day

          ~Friday, March 27 – Chester County Historical Society field trip

          ~Tuesday, March 31 – Matthew 28:6 due

          ~Tuesday, March 31 – Report Cards available

          ~Thursday, April 2-Monday, April 6 – No school.  Easter break.

          ~Tuesday, April 7 – School Resumes

Feel free to contact me at any time with any questions or concerns regarding your child. 

          Email:  jmcclurebcs@gmail.com

          Phone:  610-998-0877 (8am-3:30pm)

                     610-467-0622 (6:00pm-8pm)

          You may also send a note to school with your child.

In Him,

Jackie McClure

February 2015

 February is one of my favorite months of the year!  It is a good time to reflect on God’s amazing love.  I pray that you all have experienced His great love in your own lives.

On Wednesday, February 11, we will have a visit from an employee of McCormick Orthodontics to discuss the importance dental hygiene.  This will kick off our Health unit regarding health, wellness and nutrition.

We are beginning our social studies unit on Our Changing World, including a study of schools long ago.  The students will enjoy seeing pictures of one-room schoolhouses and the different school tools that children used many years ago. 

In Bible, we will continue discussing the Israelites’ journey from Egypt to the Promised Land, under the leadership of Moses and later, Joshua.  Our first Bible memory work for February will be John 13:34 – “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.”  This will be due Friday, February 13.   Please be sure to send Bible Memory Books to school on the due date so that a new verse may be sent home.

February is a busy month in first grade.  We will be celebrating our 100^th day of school on Thursday, February 5.  The children have been anticipating this all year!  We will have a normal class schedule on this day, with 100^th Day activities included in many lessons.  Your child will be thrilled to tell you that he or she is 100 days smarter!

Our Valentine card exchange will be held on Friday, February 13, in the afternoon.  Valentines for the class may be sent on or before February 13^th.  I am sending a copy of our class list in White Envelopes on Tuesday, February 3.  If your child would like to hand out Valentines to his/her classmates, please be sure to include everyone listed, so that no one’s feelings are hurt!  If you are interested in providing a snack for our class, please contact me. Thanks.

There will be no school on Monday, February 16, in honor of Presidents' Day.

On Wednesday, February 19, we will have a special nature presentation from the grandmother of one of Mrs. Ingiosi's first graders.  She works as a nature teacher for Fair Hill Nature Center at Fair Hill State Park., and has offered to present a program called "Animals in Winter".  We are very excited for this special visit!

This month’s Spirit Day will be Pajama Day on Thursday, February 19.  Children are invited by the Student Council to participate.  Wear your comfy jammies and slippers.! Please do send sneakers for outdoor play on that day.

February Dates to Remember:

***Thursday, February 5, 2015 – 100^th day of school  

***February 9-13 – Spread the Love Campaign Peanut Butter & Jelly collection

***Friday, February 13 – John 3:34 quiz

***Friday, February 13 - Valentine Card Exchange

***Monday, February 16 - No School (President’s Day)

***Thursday, February 19- Pajama Day

Birthdays this Month:

            ***February 11 – Lia's Birthday

            ***February 16 – Wyatt's Birthday

God Bless You!

Jackie McClure

January 2015

Welcome back and Happy New Year!  I pray that everyone had an enjoyable and restful Christmas.  Thank you to all who helped with our classroom Christmas celebration.  The children had a wonderful time, and I appreciate the effort that went into making it such an exciting day!

Our classroom is full of excited learners this year!  We are especially enjoying the time that we spend with the reading moms and dads in the mornings.  The children enjoy being able to spend some time out in the hallway, practicing their reading skills.  Thank you to those who have been able to assist thus far!  If you would like to receive information about being a reading helper, please send a note to school.

In Bible, we will be talking about the life of Moses. 

We will be learning the Ten Commandments, beginning with Commandments 1-3.

1. You shall have no other gods before Me.
2. You shall not make for yourself an idol.
3. You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God.

These Commandments will be due on Tuesday, January 13.

On Monday, January 19, there will be no school, in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.  During the previous week, we will have discussed the reason for remembering Martin Luther King, Jr., and all that he did for our nation.

           

On January 22, we will have a school-wide Spirit Day.  This month’s Spirit Day is Clash Day.  Wear the most UN-matching clothes possible!  Have fun!

Please send your child to school dressed appropriately for the winter weather.  This includes a coat that cans zipper/button up the front, a hat or hood, and gloves or mittens.  We do go outside when it is possible to do so.

Important Dates to Remember:

Tuesday, January 13 – Commandments 1-3 due

Wednesday, January 14 – Second Quarter Ends

Monday, January 19 – No School

Wednesday, January 21 – Report Cards Sent via Ren Web

Thursday, January 22 – Clash Day

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact me by note, email (jmcclurebcs@gmail.com), or telephone (610-467-0622).  Enjoy the winter weather, and stay warm!

Merry Christmas!

I want to wish a very Merry Christmas to every one of you and your families!  I pray that you all enjoy the wonder of the season and remember that Jesus is the reason that we celebrate each year.  
I look forward to seeing my first graders refreshed and ready to continue a wonderful year on January 5, 2015.
With much love and appreciation for each of you,
Jackie McClure

December 2014

I trust everyone had a wonderful and restful Thanksgiving holiday.  It is nice to be back in school again, and hear the different activities that your children enjoyed during the school break.  Thank you all for taking the time to come out for conferences.  I very much enjoyed having the opportunity to speak with each of you.

Please continue to listen to your child read his/her reading homework week.  We are making great progress in our readers, and the at-home practice makes such a difference.  It is very important that the children are reading these assignments aloud to an adult; this helps catch inaccuracy in the reading.

Thursday, December 11 will be Medieval Day.  Have fun dressing up for school!

During the month of December, we will be discussing the true meaning of Christmas, the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  Our memory verse for this month will be John 3:16-17.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.  For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.”

This memory work will be tested on Friday, December 19.

We will be having a book exchange on December 18.  Each child is asked to bring one book, costing no more than $5.  Girls should bring a book for another girl; boys should bring a book for another boy.  Each book should be wrapped and labeled as follows: 

                                                            To:  A Girl/Boy

                                                            From:  Your Child’s Name

Please send the book to school by December 18; we will have our book exchange early in the day.  

We will have our Christmas party on Friday, December 19, from 1:45-2:45.  Thank you to Lisa Patrick for planning a special time for us.  Please let us know if you can provide any of the items on the emailed list.

There will be no school from December 22-January 4.  Classes will resume on Monday, January 5, 2015.

 If you have any questions regarding any of our classroom information, please contact me at your convenience.  I pray that you have a beautiful Christmas season!

In Him,

Jackie McClure

November 2014

Dear Parents,                                                                          

As the days begin to get cooler, I’m realizing that the year is progressing very quickly.  We have been very busy in first grade, and time seems to be flying!  

With the weather growing colder, please keep in mind that children should be dressed appropriately.  We do go outside on cold days; children should be wearing coats that can button or zip, and a hood or a hat.   

We are celebrating a birthday in our class this month!

Alexis will turn 7 on Thursday, November 27.  Happy birthday, Alexis!

On Friday, November 7, we will have our first field trip.  We will be visiting Ashland Nature Center to participate in the Seasonal Delight program.  We will use our senses to enjoy the different things God has given us in the fall.  This is an outdoor program, and it will be rain or shine.  Please dress your child appropriately.  We will be walking quite a bit, and we will most likely encounter muddy areas.  We will return to school for a normal Friday lunch time.

Each year, our students participate in a can drive for Operation Brotherhood to help provide Thanksgiving dinner to those who cannot afford it.  Each class has been assigned a specific food item.  More information will be sent home in white envelopes.  Please mark your cans with a ‘B’ from a boy and a ‘G’ from a girl.  We will be lining the halls with the cans, and we will see if the boys or the girls bring in more cans. 

Report cards will be sent via RenWeb on Tuesday, November 4.  Conferences will be held on Monday, November 24 and Tuesday, November 25.  Dismissal for the students on these days will be at 12:30.  We do not eat lunch at school on half-days, but children will need to bring a morning snack.  There will be no aftercare on these days.  I am very much looking forward to this opportunity to meet with you to discuss your child’s progress, and to get to know you as well.

Scholastic orders for November are in your child’s white envelope.  Please return these by Monday, November 10.  Make checks payable to Jackie McClure.  If any items are gifts, please let me know, and we will arrange for you to pick up the order in the office. 

We will be having a small Thanksgiving celebration on Friday, November 21, with Mrs. Ingiosi’s first grade class.  Our class will be dressing as pilgrims, and making butter.  To help in our preparations, the first grade classes are in need of the following items:

          ~small plastic jars with lids that fit tightly or clean baby food jars

          ~wooden beads with holes to string (any colors)   

The annual Book Fair will be set up during conferences.  Your child will have an opportunity to preview the book fair and make a list of books that interest him/her.  Students will not be given an opportunity to buy books.  You will be able to browse the shelves at the Book Fair during conferences, and make any purchases then.  

           

There will be no school from Wednesday, November 26 to Friday, November 28, for the Thanksgiving holiday.  Classes will resume on Monday, December 1. 

          As always, feel free to contact me at any time with questions or concerns. 

In Him,

Jackie McClure

October 2014

Thank you for helping to get our school year off to such a wonderful start!  I have been enjoying my time with your children thus far, and am so very glad that we have the rest of the year to spend together.   

Grandparents’ Day is on Friday, October 10.  Please keep in mind that this is a half-day of school.  Our day will end at 12:30.  We will not be having lunch at school on half-days.          We will have a snack time in the classroom.  Please be sure to send a healthy snack to school with your child.

Grandparents Day letters are coming home today. Please be sure to deliver them to your child's grandparents as soon as possible, so that they can make plans to join us for a fun day!

Saturday, October 11 is the Fall Fun Fair.  I know that more helpers are needed to make this day a success.  Please contact the office if you are able to help, and for more information.

There will be no school on Thursday, October 16 and Friday, October 17.

Sunday, October 19 is Church-School Day.  Kindergarten, First and Second grades have been invited to participate in the Sunday service at Bethany Presbyterian Church.  We will be singing our Grandparents Day songs for the congregation, as a thank you for their support of our school.  Please make plans to attend if possible.  The service begins at 10:45, but we will be meeting in the big room downstairs earlier.  More information will be sent home as the day approaches.

The first quarter ends on Tuesday, October 28.  Report cards will be sent home on Tuesday, November 4.  Conferences will be held on Monday, November 24, and Tuesday, November 25.  More information will be sent home regarding this.    

Our Bible memory work for October will begin with Psalm 119:11

“I have stored up Your Word in my heart that I might not sin against You.”

This will be due on Friday, October 3.

Our second verse for October will be Genesis 1:1, 31a:

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth....  And God saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good."

This will be due on Wednesday, October 15.

Our classroom is full of excited learners this year!   We have been reading Colors Glowing, our first story reader of the year.  The students are having a good time reading about the Miller and Lopez families, and we have had a few good laughs together at some of the silly situations that the characters find themselves in! 

We are working on many interesting things in math class this year, and Mrs. Ingiosi and I would like to ask for your help.  We would like each child to spend some time at home practicing math flash cards for addition and subtraction.  These can be bought (they are available at Wal-Mart, as well as well as many other stores) or made with index cards or poster board.  Children should practice addition and subtraction facts up to 20.  This will help your child as concepts become more difficult in math class, as well as when we begin administering timed tests.

Please be sure that your child is returning all homework in a timely manner.  Math homework is sent periodically, and should be returned on the date indicated on the paper.

We are working out a system for reading homework, and will be sending information as soon as possible.  Thanks! 

Important Dates to Remember for October:

~Friday, October 3 - Psalm 119:11 due

~Tuesday, October 7 - Boxtop Day!

~Friday, October 10 – Grandparents Day; ½ Day of School

~Saturday, October 11 - Fall Fair Day
~Wednesday, October 15 - Genesis 1:1, 31a

~Thursday, October 16 & Friday, October 17 - No School

~Sunday, October 19 - Church-School Day

~Thursday, October 23 - Twin Day

~Tuesday, October 28 - First Quarter Ends

Again, thank you for your help thus far, and I look forward to continuing to work with each of you as our school year progresses!  

 In Him,

                                           Jackie McClure