December 2019

             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 Christmas Shop on Tuesday, December 3. If you plan to send money for your student to shop, please send it on or before December 3. I am happy to store your child's money in a safe place in the classroom until our shopping day. Information and money envelopes were sent home in the white envelope on Tuesday, November 26.

             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 Tuesday, December 3 and tested on Thursday, December 19.

            This year, all of our classes are participating in the Christmas production. Please join us on Tuesday, December 17, for a wonderful evening of celebrating our Savior's birth. Students are asked to arrive in the music and art rooms at 6:30 and the program will begin at 7:00 PM in the Kitty June Shepherd Gymnasium. Mrs. Patrick sent information about the program in white envelopes on Tuesday, November 26.

            Our class will be presenting a special chapel service on Wednesday, December 18 at 8:45 in the church. We will be giving a readers' theater about the Christmas story. We will be using many of our reading group times to practice this together so I will not be asking for reading parents during the month of December.

            We will have our Christmas party on Friday, December 20.  We will be having a book exchange in the morning.  Each child is asked to bring one book, costing no more than $5.  All students should bring a book that could be enjoyed by both boys and girls, if possible.  Each book should be wrapped and labeled as follows: 

                                                            To:  A Friend

                                                            From:  Your Child’s Name

Please send the book to school by December 18; 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.  Please let me know if you are willing and able to help with planning a craft, games, or food for our Christmas celebration. Thanks!

            We have two birthday celebrations this month.

                        Emily has a birthday on December 4.

                        Travis has a birthday on December 28.

                                                Happy Birthday, Friends!

                                               

            There will be no school from December 23-January 1.  Classes will resume on Thursday, January 2, 2020.

            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 2019

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.   

Our Bible memory work for November:

The Ten Commandments 1-4, due Friday, November 15.
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.

4. Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy.
The Ten Commandments 5-10, due Tuesday, November 26.

5. Honor your father and your mother.

6. You shall not murder.

7. You shall not commit adultery.

8. You shall not steal.

9. You shall not give false testimony.

10. You shall not covet.

Scholastic orders for November were sent in your child’s white envelope this week.  Please place all orders by Monday, November 11.  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.

Bethany Christian School will be participating in a canned food drive to help our local Neighborhood Services. Collections will take place November 1-November 15. First grade is asked to bring in 1 lb. cans of green beans. Please make sure to mark your items with a ‘B’ for boys or a ‘G’ for girls - we have a school-wide competition! :)
There is no school on Tuesday, November 5, due to our school being used as a polling location for the election.
Report cards will be sent home via RenWeb on Friday, November 8.  Conferences will be held on Monday, November 25 and Tuesday, November 26.  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 larger 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.
We will be having a small Thanksgiving celebration on Friday, November 22.  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 3 dozen cornbread muffins. If you are willing to make some or all of the muffins for our celebration, please let me know. Thanks!

There will be no school from Wednesday, November 27, to Friday, November 29, for the Thanksgiving holiday.  Classes will resume on Monday, December 2.  This is a change from the calendar.

Important Dates to Remember:
November 5      ~No School - Election Day
November 8      ~Report Cards issued

November 11     ~Scholastic Orders Due

November 15     ~Commandments 1-4 Due
November 22     ~Thanksgiving Celebration                      
November 25     ~1/2 Day of School

~Parent-Teacher Conferences
November 26    ~1/2 Day of School

                              ~Commandments 5-10 Due
~Parent-Teacher Conferences
November 27-29~No School.  Thanksgiving Holiday
December 2     ~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