Tuesday, January 30, 2018
February 2018
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. Thursday, February 1 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.
We will be celebrating our 100th day of school on Tuesday, February 6. The children have been anticipating this all year! We will have a normal class schedule on this day, with 100th 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/9040e49a8ab28a20-100th2
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 first Bible memory this month will be Joshua 24:15.
Choose this day whom ye will serve.... But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord!
This will be due on Friday, February 2.
Our Valentine card exchange will be held on Wednesday, February 14, in the afternoon. Valentines for the class may be sent on or before February 14th. I am sending a copy of our class list in White Envelopes on Tuesday, January 30. 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 Career Day on Thursday, February 15. Children are invited by the Student Council to participate. I can't wait to see all of our future careers!
There will be no school on Monday, February 19, in honor of Presidents' Day.
On Wednesday, February 21, we will have a visit from an employee of McCormick Orthodontics to discuss the importance dental hygiene.
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-february2
February Dates to Remember:
***Thursday, February 1 – Favorite Toy Day
***Friday, February 2 - Joshua 24:15 due
***Tuesday, February 6 – 100th Day of School
***Wednesday, February 14 - Valentine Card Exchange
***Thursday, February 15 - Career Day
***Monday, February 19 - No School (President’s Day)
***Wednesday, February 21 - Dental Health Visitor
Birthdays this Month:
***February 2 - Sofia's Birthday
***February 18 – Connor's Half-Birthday
God bless you!
Jackie McClure
Tuesday, January 2, 2018
Dear First Grade Families, January 2018
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 Friday, December 22.
In Bible, we will continue our lessons on the life of Moses and also continue to learn the Ten Commandments.
Commandments 4-6 will be due Friday, January 12.
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, January 26.
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 15, 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 18, we will have a school-wide Spirit Day. This month’s Spirit Day is Decades 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 12 – Commandments 4-6 due
Monday, January 15 - No School
Thursday, January 18 - Decades Day
Friday, January 19 - Second Quarter Ends
Friday, January 26 - Commandments 7-10 due
Friday, January 26 - Report Cards issued
As always, if you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact me by note or email (jmcclure@bethanychristian.org). Enjoy the winter weather, and stay warm!
In Him,
Jackie McClure
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 Friday, December 22.
In Bible, we will continue our lessons on the life of Moses and also continue to learn the Ten Commandments.
Commandments 4-6 will be due Friday, January 12.
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, January 26.
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 15, 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 18, we will have a school-wide Spirit Day. This month’s Spirit Day is Decades 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 12 – Commandments 4-6 due
Monday, January 15 - No School
Thursday, January 18 - Decades Day
Friday, January 19 - Second Quarter Ends
Friday, January 26 - Commandments 7-10 due
Friday, January 26 - Report Cards issued
As always, if you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact me by note or email (jmcclure@bethanychristian.org). Enjoy the winter weather, and stay warm!
In Him,
Jackie McClure
Monday, December 4, 2017
December 2017
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 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.
Our
class will visit the Penguin Patch Christmas Shop on Wednesday, December 6. If
you plan to send money for your student to shop, please send it on or before
December 6. I am happy to store your child's money in a safe place in the
classroom until our shopping day.
Thursday,
December 14 will be Clash Day. Children
are invited to wear the most mismatched clothes they can find! :)
Friday,
December 15 will be Sock Day for First Grade. We've earned another class reward
and the children voted for Sock Day. On Friday, December 15, students in first
grade are invited to wear their favorite socks to school. They can be a
favorite pair of crazy socks, fun socks, Christmas socks...anything goes!
Students will be permitted to leave their shoes in the coat hook area of the
classroom for the day (except when outside or visiting the bathroom, of
course!). Have fun!
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 sent home on Monday
December 11 and tested on Thursday, December 21.
This is our verse for after Commandments 1-3 - - we will continue learning the Ten
Commandments after Christmas break.
We
will have our Christmas party on Friday, December 22. 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 21; 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!
We have several birthday celebrations this
month.
Vivianna
has a birthday on December 1.
Ben
J. has a birthday on December 14.
Carolyn
has a birthday on December 31.
Henry
has a half-birthday on December 24.
Happy
Birthday, Friends!
There
will be no school from December 23-January 1. Classes will resume on Tuesday, January 2, 2018 .
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
Wednesday, November 1, 2017
November 2017
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.
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 Tuesday,
November 14, 2017 .
Scholastic orders for
November were sent in your child’s white envelope this week. Please place all orders by Tuesday, 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. Orders being sent to school need to be in by
Monday, November 6. 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 7, due to our school
being used as a polling location for the election.
Thursday, November 16, will be a school-wide Crazy Hair Day. I can't
wait to see all of the silly hairstyles that day! Have fun!!
Report cards will be sent home via
RenWeb on Friday, November 10. Conferences
will be held on Monday, November 20 and Tuesday, November 21. 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. Please consider sending a
large than usual snack, as our tummies will be hungry before 12:30 . 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.
Taryn celebrates her birthday on November 15.
Gavyn celebrates his birthday on November 22.
Happy birthday, friends!
We will be having a small Thanksgiving celebration on Friday,
November 17. We will watch A Charlie
Brown Thanksgiving and enjoy a special snack together. We will also be making butter! If you are
able to send in any empty and clean plastic peanut butter jars (or other
plastic jars with lids that fit tightly, please let me know how many you can
provide. We also need about 30 cornbread muffins. If you are willing to make some
or all of the muffins for our celebration, please let me know. Thanks!
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 22, to Monday,
November 27, for the Thanksgiving holiday.
Classes will resume on Tuesday, November 28.
We are having a door decorating contest for Christmas this year! I plan
to make a large Christmas tree with green paper cones, having each child
decorate 2 or 3 of the paper cones. I need your help! Please send a baggie of
decoration items with your child by Wednesday, November 29. Please put your
child's name on his/her baggie so that your child uses the decoration items
he/she has chosen. I would love for each child's personality to shine on the
tree! Some ideas: stickers of things your child likes, favorite candies,
ribbons in his/her favorite colors, Christmas gift bows, a handful of favorite
cereals, etc. Be creative! :)
Important Dates to Remember:
November 7 ~Scholastic
orders due
November 7 ~No School - Election Day
November 10 ~Report Cards issued
November 14 ~Psalm 9:1-2 due November 16 ~Crazy Hair Day (school-wide Spirit Day)
November 17 ~Thanksgiving Celebration
November 7 ~No School - Election Day
November 10 ~Report Cards issued
November 14 ~Psalm 9:1-2 due November 16 ~Crazy Hair Day (school-wide Spirit Day)
November 17 ~Thanksgiving Celebration
November
20 ~1/2
Day of School
~Parent-Teacher
Conferences and Book Fair
November 21 ~1/2
Day of School
~Parent-Teacher
Conferences and Book Fair
November 22-27~No
School. Thanksgiving Holiday
November 28 ~School
resumes
November
29 ~Tree Decorating Items Due
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
Monday, October 2, 2017
October 2017
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.
Bible
memory books are due on Thursday, October 5. The verse for Thursday is Genesis
28:15 - "I am with you and will keep you wherever you go and will bring
you back to this land."
Please be sure to send your child's Bible
memory book to school on Thursday, October 5. I will send a new verse on
Monday, October 9.
Grandparents’
Day is on Friday, October 6. 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.
Our
Field Trip to Ashland Nature Center Ashland
Picture Day will be Wednesday, October 18. You will receive more information in the white
envelopes closer to that day.
The
Annual Banquet is on Friday, October 20 here at the school. It is going to be a
wonderful evening celebrating God's provision for our school. Fourth and fifth
grades are performing and childcare will be provided. Please be sure to send
your RSVP; I hope to see you there!
We
are celebrating one birthday this month:
Mahayla
has a birthday on October 11.
Happy birthday, Mahayla!
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
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. We've started using
our Kickin' It math minutes program this week and the students are very excited
to begin earning belts for knowing math facts!
We need a few items for our next chapter in science. I've created a Sign-Up Genius for these items. The paper plates are actually needed for this Wednesday. So sorry for late notice, but I'm still becoming familiar with this new science program.
We need a few items for our next chapter in science. I've created a Sign-Up Genius for these items. The paper plates are actually needed for this Wednesday. So sorry for late notice, but I'm still becoming familiar with this new science program.
Please visit this link to sign up:
Thanks!
A
Look Ahead:
~The
First Quarter will end on Friday, November 3.
Report Cards will be sent home via RenWeb on Friday, November 10.
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 stamped 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.
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
Thursday, August 24, 2017
September 2017
Dear Parents,
Welcome to
First Grade at Bethany Christian School
My name is
Jackie McClure, and I am a 2001 graduate of Pensacola Christian College Florida BCS this
year.
This will be my thirteenth year teaching first grade at BCS ,
and I am very thankful for the opportunity to teach your child.
There will
be no school on Friday, September 1, and Monday, September 4.
Our initial
time together in first grade will be spent getting to know each other, and
helping your child become familiar with the new environment, as well as the
routines and rules that he/she will be expected to follow throughout the
year.
I will be sending information to those
who volunteered as homeroom parents/party helpers, as soon as I can get all of
the necessary contact information together.
If you did not get to sign up at Open House, but are interested in
serving as a Homeroom Parent or Helper, please let me know so that I can
include your contact information on the list.
Thanks!
I would like each child to keep one silent
reading book in his/her desk at all times. Please send a silent reading
book to school for your child as soon as possible. Thank you.
Each day, your child will be participating in a special
class. Our schedule for the year is as
follows:
Monday
– Spanish
Tuesday – Music
Wednesday – Art
Thursday – Gym (Please dress your child
appropriately, in comfortable clothing and sneakers. No jeans, please.)
Friday - PC Lab
I will let you know if the schedule changes at all during the
course of the year.
Every Wednesday, your child will be attending a Chapel service in the church sanctuary. It is our goal to not only teach your child more about God and His love and plan for them, but also to train him/her to behave in a reverent and respectful manner while in a church building. Children are expected to bring their Bibles to Chapel, and to be attentive throughout the service. Each year, there is a theme verse for all of the students at
In addition
to weekly Chapel services, our class will have a daily Bible lesson in the
classroom. As a part of Bible class,
children will be given Bible memory work throughout the year. Our first Bible verse for the year is our
theme verse. We will learn one verse of
the passage at a time, and eventually be able to put it all together. We will start with 2 Timothy 1:7: 'For
God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.' This will be sent home in Bible
memory books on Tuesday, August 29, and will be due to return back to school
for recitation on Friday, September 8.
Please be sure to send Bible memory books back to school on the due date
throughout the year.
We are
celebrating one birthday in our class this month:
Sonya
will celebrate her birthday on September 13.
Happy
birthday, Sonya!
Save the Date!
Grandparents
Day will be held on Friday, October 6.
This is also a half-day of school.
Children will need to bring a snack to school, but no
lunch. Please watch for more information
to be sent home this month.
Our annual
banquet will be held on Friday, October 20 at 6:30
pm at Bethany Christian School Bethany in
our community.
If you do
not have access to the internet, please let me know before the second week of
school, if you have not already done so.
In the future, parent letters will be posted on our class blog. Please check our blog often for more class
information (http://jmcclurebcs.blogspot.com/).
Those families without internet access will receive a hard copy of each
month’s parent letter in their child’s white folder on the first Tuesday of the
month.
Also, please be sure to join
our Class Dojo so that you are able to keep up with what we are doing
throughout the day. If you need your code again, send me an email and I will
get that to you.
Once again,
welcome to our first grade class! If you
have any questions or concerns throughout the year, you may contact me by
calling the school office, at (610) 998-0877, and I will return your call at my
earliest possible convenience. You may
also send a note with your child, and I will contact you in the way that best
suits your schedule.
I am very
much looking forward to getting to know your child this year, as they grow and
learn in a Christ-centered environment.
In
Christ,
Jackie
McClure
Friday, May 5, 2017
May 2017
Dear First Grade Families, May 2017
It is hard to believe that we are now entering our last full month of school! It doesn’t seem like very long ago when my classroom was full of brand-new first grade students, ready for an exciting new year. I have enjoyed watching those eager students grow and learn over the past months.
The Race for Education will be held on Friday, May 12. All students will be participating and families are invited to come and cheer for the children as they run (or even run with them!). You are encouraged to sign your child out after devotions (in the church) and spend the day with them. We only ask that you be sure your student is at the starting line when it is our race time. I am trying to get an accurate picture of how the day will work, so I am asking each of you to please let me know if you do or do not plan to attend the race.
There will be food trucks available for your family to enjoy breakfast and lunch. Food sales will be happening from the kitchen during certain times as well. There will also be a silent auction taking place in the gym, as well as a live auction between race times. Please remember to send in your items for our Disney Extravaganza basket. We are still in need of any items that you are able to send!
There will be no school on Tuesday, May 16, due to the election on that day. This is a calendar change.
Thursday, May 18 is a Spirit Day for Preschool-8th grade. This month our spirit day will be Career Day. Your child is invited to dress as what he/she would like to be when he/she grows up.
Our final Bible memory work for the year is as follows:
Psalm 145:17-18
"The Lord is righteous in all his ways
"The Lord is righteous in all his ways
and kind in all his works.
The Lord is near to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth."
This will be due on Thursday, May 18.
Proverbs 3:5-6
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
and He will make your paths straight."
This will be due on Tuesday, May 30 .
Just a reminder that there will be no school on Monday, May 29, Memorial Day.
On Monday, June 5, we will have Pet Day in our classroom. I will be sending a Sign-Up Genius link for 10-minute time slots to bring pets for a visit. Small, non-furry pets who live in cages or bowls (hermit crabs, lizards, fish...snakes!) may be brought for the day, but furry pets may only come for 10 minute visits. If your child has a rabbit for a pet, please note that we will most likely have to conduct your visit outside. I am very allergic to rabbits and even 10 minutes in the classroom would cause a reaction for me. If you have any questions or concerns regarding Pet Day, please don't hesitate to contact me.
Here is a list of important dates to remember in May:
~Friday, May 12 - Race for Education!
~Tuesday, May 16 - No school.
~Thursday, May 18 - Psalm 145:17-18 due
~Thursday, May 18 - Switcheroo Day
~Thursday, May 18 - Switcheroo Day
~Monday, May 29 - No School, Memorial Day
~Tuesday, May 30 - Proverbs 3:5-6 due
~Monday, June 5 - Pet Day
Have a wonderful Mother’s Day, and a beautiful month of May.
In Him,
Jackie McClure
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