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