April 2017

Dear First Grade Families,                                                                                                             

I always enjoy watching the early signs of spring popping up everywhere!  They serve as yet another reminder of God’s awesome creation.  As you observe the flowers blooming and other new life beginning, take a moment to thank God for giving us such beautiful things to enjoy.            

April begins a busy time here at Bethany Christian School.  Here is a list of dates to remember:

                April 11 - Matthew 28:6 due

                April 11 - Hot Lunch Make-up Day-  Please check to see if your child is to receive this hot lunch from our snow day earlier this year. If you are not sure, please let me know ahead of this date so that I can check for you.

                April 13-17 - No School; Easter Break

                April 20 - Decades Day (School-wide Spirit Day)

                April 21 - Fine Arts Gala & Open House

                April 27 - No Hot Lunch

                ***May 3 - Field Trip to the Chester County Historical Society - New permission slips will be sent home very soon.

               

We have one April birthday in our class:

Blake will celebrate his birthday on April 7.

Happy Birthday, Blake!

Wednesday, April 12 is our last day before Easter break. We will have a small classroom celebration in the afternoon. I have some games for the students to play. If you are willing to provide some of the items for our snack that day, please visit this Sign-Up Genius link: www.SignUpGenius.com/go/9040E49A8AB28A20-easter 

Thanks!

Friday, April 21 is our Fine Arts Gala and Open House. Our music and art lesson students will be providing entertainment and art pieces for showcase on this exciting evening. There will also be an Usborne book sale going on in the gym and the third graders will be playing their recorders (so you can see what fun and excitement you can look forward to in a couple of years!). Please plan to join us for this special evening to support our very talented students at Bethany.

A Look Ahead:

               

Friday, May 12 – We will be having the Race for Education.  All students will be participating and families are invited to come and cheer for the children as they run.    There will also be a silent auction.  Please remember to send in your items for our Disney Extravaganza  basket.  There will be a cake and ice cream party for the class with the basket that receives the highest bid!  Thank you to those who have already contributed.

New This Year: There will be a live auction in the gym between the 5-8 grade race and the PS-4 grade race. This will be held in the gym. If you are attending the race, please plan to sign out your child early in the day and keep him/her with you at all times prior to our race in order to allow him/her to experience all of the fun and exciting activities of the day. With the live auction moving first grade's race time to later in the morning, it will be very tricky figuring out the best time to eat lunch and enjoy all of the other things that the day has to offer.

Our Sharing Chair will also be in the auction this year.  It has gone from being a plain white plastic chair to being covered with the signatures of your budding writers!  We will continue adding signatures through the end of the school year; the chair will be on display for the auction, but will not be sent home with the highest bidder until the end of the year. 

               

Race Day will also include a Fun Fair following the awards ceremony.  This year's Fun Fair is sponsored by McCormick Orthodontics.  This will take place on the soccer field.  This event will be ticket-based; tickets will be sold for all games and food items.  There will be a dunk tank again, so have your throwing arm ready! :)  Please plan on attending Race Day so that you and your child/children can have a special time together at the Fun Fair.

As the weather begins to warm up, it is important that your child brings a water bottle to school each day.   First graders are able to keep water bottles on desks throughout the day so that we may keep our bodies hydrated.  Please be sure that your child has a water bottle every day.  Thanks!

Please continue to work with your children at home on flashcards, spelling words, and reading.  It really does help them to have that extra few minutes of practice.  The Book-it program ends in March, but students should still be reading at home for 20 minutes at least 3-4 days each week. It is okay if the reading is somewhat challenging; allow your child to work on sounding out the words that may be difficult.

If you are interested in helping as a reading parent in April, please visit this link:

www.SignUpGenius.com/go/9040E49A8AB28A20-april1 

Thanks!

Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns that may arise.  Thank you for your active participation in our classroom.

In Him,

Jackie McClure

March 2017

          In just a few short weeks 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 love spring, in case that wasn't clear! 

I received so many lovely Valentines, and would like to thank each and every child for being an important part of our class.  You are loved and appreciated so much more than you know!

Our first memory verse for March 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 on Friday, March 10.

Our next memory work for March will be Psalm 24:1-2:  "The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein, for He has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers."

This will be due on Friday, March 24.

Please remember to send in your child's Bible memory verse on the due dates so that we can place the new verse into the book. 

Our Field Trip to the Chester County Historical Society is on Thursday, March 16. We are leaving school around 8:40 am. Please remember to pack a fully disposable lunch; we will not be bringing items back with us.

Thursday, March 16 is also Book/Movie Character Day. This is an all-school Spirit Day. I am sorry that the days fell together like this, but this is the only day that worked for both the CCHS staff and our class. First graders are welcome to bring a costume to change into when we get back from the trip. I will make sure that they have an opportunity to put on their costumes for the afternoon. Please do not send costume pieces that are weapons of any kind.

There will be no school on Friday, March 17.  This is a teacher in-service day. 

          The third quarter will end on Friday, March 31.  Report cards will be available Friday, April 7.

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 Disney Extravaganza!  We have received MANY great items already! Thanks so much for your generosity.

          Classroom Birthdays:
                   March 19 -Charlotte

Important Dates to Remember:

          ~Thursday, March 10 – John 13:34 due

          ~Thursday, March 16 – Field Trip to CCHS
          ~Thursday, March 16 - Book/Movie Character Day (no weapons)

          ~Friday, March 17 -  No School; Teacher in-service
          ~Monday, March 20 - Spaghetti Dinner

          ~Friday, March 24 - Psalm 24:1-2 due

          ~Friday, March 24 - Combined Coffee Connection (all grades), 8:30 am

          ~Friday, March 31 – Third Quarter Ends

          ~Friday, April 7– Report Cards available

         

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

          Email:  jmcclurebcs@gmail.com

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

In Him,

Jackie McClure

February 2017

	Dear First Grade Families,

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.

            February is a busy month in first grade.  We will be celebrating our 100^th day of school on Friday, February 3.  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!  Please visit our Sign-Up Genius if you would like to contribute any items for our celebration. We still have several items that are needed to help with our fun day!

                        http://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040e49a8ab28a20-100th1

            Monday, February 6 is Favorite Toy Day. Please remember, no video games (including phones/iPads/etc) should be sent to school. Electronic toys (toys that have a battery and may make noise/move) may be sent as long as they can be turned off when needed. Use your discretion as to what may/may not be appropriate for a classroom setting.

Our first Bible memory this month will be Commandments 7-10

                        7. You shall not commit adultery.

                        8. You shall not steal.

                        9. You shall not give false testimony.

                        10. You shall not covet.

              This will be due on Friday, February 10.

We are participating in the Spread the Love Campaign once again this year. We are collecting jars of peanut butter and jelly (no glass jars, please!) from February 1-14. The class that brings in the most jars will win a cupcake party! 

            Our Valentine card exchange will be held on Tuesday, February 14, in the afternoon.  Valentines for the class may be sent on or before February 14^th.  I am sending a copy of our class list in White Envelopes on Tuesday, February 7.  If your child would like to hand out Valentines to his/her classmates, please be sure to include everyone listed, so that no one gets hurt feelings!  If you are interested in providing a snack for our class, please contact me. Thanks!

This month’s Spirit Day will be Cape Day on Thursday, February 16.  Children are invited by the Student Council to participate.  Student's may wear a cape (store bought or handmade) to school. I can't wait to see our creativity!

There will be no school on Friday, February 17. This is an in-service day for teachers.

There will be no school on Monday, February 20, in honor of Presidents' Day.

On Wednesday, February 22, we will have a visit from an employee of McCormick Orthodontics to discuss the importance dental hygiene.  This is part of our Science unit on health and nutrition.

Please be watching for your Re-Enrollment information which should be coming home sometime in February.

If you have not yet had a chance to be a reading helper, please consider coming to listen to our students read during the month of February. The children love to have visitors! The only requirement is that you have your clearances on file in the school office.  Please visit the Sign-Up Genius link below to sign up!

            http://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040e49a8ab28a20-february1

February Dates to Remember:

***February 1-14 - Spread the Love Peanut Butter & Jelly Collection

***Friday, February 3 – 100^th day of school    

***Monday, February 6 – Favorite Toy Day

***Friday, February 10 - Commandments 7-10 due

***Tuesday, February 14 - Valentine Card Exchange

***Thursday, February 16 - Cape Day

***Friday, February 17 - No School (In-Service Day)

***Monday, February 20 - No School (President’s Day)

***Wednesday, February 22 - Dental Health Visitor

Birthdays this Month:

            ***February 14 – Alexa's Birthday

            ***February 17 – Luke's Birthday

            ***February 27 - Annalise's Birthday

God bless you!
Jackie McClure

 

January 2017

Dear First Grade Families,                                                                                       

           

Welcome back!  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!  I will be starting our Reading Parent program within the next month.  If you are interested in becoming a reading parent, we must have all of your clearances on file in the office.  I will send information home to those parents who were interested in being a reading parent only if we have your clearances on file.  Thanks.

Please remember to fill out and return the Book-It calendars for each month. I will be accepting December calendars for the rest of this week. January calendars were sent home on Tuesday, January 3. I apologize for not having them out before the break. You may fill in any reading that your child did for January 1 and 2. Book-It is also counted as your child's reading homework grade each month.

In Bible, we will continue our lessons on the life of Moses and learn the Ten Commandments.

Commandments 1-3 are due Friday, January 13. 

            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.

Commandments 4-6 will be due Friday, January 27.

            4. Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy.

            5. Honor your father and your mother.

            6. You shall not murder.

Commandments 7-10 will be due Friday, February 10.

            7. You shall not commit adultery.

            8. You shall not steal.

            9. You shall not give false testimony.

            10. You shall not covet.

On Monday, January 16, 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.

           

We will be celebrating one birthday in our class this month, as well as one half-birthday.

                        Ariel will have a half-birthday on January 2.

                        Eliana will have a birthday on January 4.

                                    Happy birthday, friends!

 On January 19, we will have a school-wide Spirit Day.  This month’s Spirit Day is Wacky/Clash Day.  Have fun!

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

Important Dates to Remember:

Friday, January 13 – Commandments 1-3 due
Monday, January 16 - No School

Thursday, January 19 - Wacky/Clash Day

Friday, January 20  –Second Quarter Ends
Friday, January 27 - Commandments 4-6 due

Friday, January 27 - Report Cards issued

Friday, February 10 - Commandments 7-10 due

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

In Him,

Jackie McClure

December 2016

   

Dear First Grade Families,                                                                                 

            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 aloud at home each 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 aloud to an adult; this helps catch inaccuracy in the reading.

            Thursday, December 15 will be Twin Day.  You may coordinate with another parent to dress your children as twins or you may choose to send your child in his/her Bethany Blue shirt; there are always students in Bethany Blue on Twin Day to 'twin' with.

             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 in order that the world might be saved through Him.”

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

            We will have our Christmas party on Friday, December 23.  We will be having a book exchange in the morning.  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 22; we will have our book exchange early in the day.  The party will be after recess, beginning around 10:30.  Parents are welcome to attend our Christmas Party.  Thanks!

            There will be no school from December 24-January 2.  Classes will resume on Tuesday, January 3, 2015.

            We will celebrate two birthdays in our class this month. 
                      Austin has a birthday on December 2.
                      Emily has a birthday on December 8.
            We will also celebrate one 1/2 birthday in December.
                      Brooke has a birthday on June 18. She celebrates her 1/2 birthday on December 18.

           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 2016

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 the 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.   

Each year, our students participate in a can drive to help provide Thanksgiving dinner to those who cannot afford it.  Each class has been assigned a specific food item.  We are collecting 1 lb. cans of green beans in first grade.  More information, including collection dates, was sent 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 will see if the boys or the girls bring in more cans. 

Our Bible memory work for November:

Psalm 9:1-2

"I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart.

I will recount all of Your wonderful deeds.

I will be glad and exult in You;

I will sing praise to Your Name, O Most High."

This will be due on Friday, November 18, 2016.

Scholastic orders for November were sent in your child’s white envelope today.  Please place all orders by Monday, November 7.  If you are sending an order to school for me to place, please make checks payable to Jackie McClure.  Please do not send cash.  If any items are gifts, please let me know, and we will arrange for you to pick up the order in the office or in the classroom.

There is no school on Tuesday, November 8, due to our school being used as a polling location for the election.

Thursday, November 10, will be a school-wide Pajama Day. For this Spirit Day, please do not send stuffed animals and slippers - that was only for our class-earned special day. Thanks!

Report cards will be sent home via RenWeb on Friday, November 11.  Conferences will be held on Monday, November 21 and Tuesday, November 22.  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.

Our annual Bethany Fundraising Banquet will be held here at the school on Friday, November 18. You should have received an invitation in your oldest Bethany student's white envelope a couple of weeks ago. Please be sure to return this to school so that we can get an accurate count of those attending. Please do indicate that your first grader will be attending with you as a performer. This will be a 1/2 day of school; we will dismiss at 12:30. 

Our November Birthdays:

Noah celebrates his birthday on November 22.

Johnny celebrates his birthday on November 25.

Happy birthday, friends!

We will be having a small Thanksgiving celebration on Friday, November 20.  We will watch A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving and enjoy a special snack together.  If you would like to provide a snack or drink for this small celebration, please contact me by email.  I would like one salty snack and one sweet snack, as well as drinks, if possible. 

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 23, to Monday, November 28, for the Thanksgiving holiday.  Classes will resume on Tuesday, November 29. 

Important Dates to Remember:

           

November 7       ~Scholastic orders due
            November 8       ~No School - Election Day
           November 10     ~Pajama Day (school-wide Spirit Day)
            November 11     ~Report Cards issued
            November 18     ~1/2 Day of School

                        ~Psalm 9:1-2 due
                                    ~Thanksgiving Celebration

                        ~Fundraising Banquet

            November 21     ~1/2 Day of School

                                    ~Parent-Teacher Conferences and Book Fair

            November 22     ~1/2 Day of School

                                    ~Parent-Teacher Conferences and Book Fair

November 23-28~No School.  Thanksgiving Holiday

November 29     ~School resumes

            As always, feel free to contact me at any time with questions or concerns as we partner together in your child's educational experience at Bethany!

In Him,

Jackie McClure

October 2016

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 7.  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.

There will be no school on Monday, October 11. This is an In-Service Day for teachers.

There is a Coffee Connection for Preschool-First Grade on Friday, October 14. Please come and get to know some other parents in our early childhood grades that morning if you are able!

Our Bible memory work for October will begin with Genesis 28:15,

"I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land."

This will be due on Friday, October 14.
Please be sure to send your child's Bible Memory Verse book to school on the due date for each verse.
Picture Day will be Wednesday, October 19.  You will receive more information in the

white envelopes closer to that day. 

We are celebrating three birthdays this month:

                        Isabela has a birthdAy on October 27.

                        LeighAnn has a birthday on October 29.
                        Hunter has a birthday on October 29.

           

                        Happy birthday, friends!

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!  Reading homework begins this month. You should have received your child's Book-It tracking calendar on Friday, 9/30. This will also serve as our homework tracking calendar for the month of October. Your child's goal is to read (aloud to a grown-up) for 200 minutes this month.

We are working on many interesting things in math class this year,  and I would like to ask for your help.  I 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.

            A Look Ahead:

                        ~We have a field trip scheduled for Friday, November 4. We will be going to Ashland Nature Center. Please be on the lookout for a permission slip in the white envelopes.

                        ~The First Quarter will end on Friday, November 4.  Report Cards will be sent home via RenWeb on Friday, November 11.

                        ~The Annual Banquet is on Friday, November 18 here at the school.. First Grade will be performing at this year's banquet, so please try to attend if possible. It is going to be a wonderful evening! 

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.

Thanks!

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