Dear Parents,

this was our last week in November and December is here. YAY!

Thank you all for doing the homework sheet with your kindergartener. All students had time to share and show their picture. It is so fun for them to share and hear how each family enjoyes different things. This week we talked about helping hands in our family and in the journal, the students drew things they help you out at home. The page that was sent home in your folder can help to stir on some conversations along these lines as well. Of course there is room for a picture on the back if your child wants to add a colourful touch. We will take time again to share with the class and encourage these helping hands.

I have a stack of knights shirts, one for each of our class member. These are t-shirts with the Highroad logo which the other classes get to wear on the designated Knights Days. Since Knights Days are on Fridays we usually don’t get a chance to wear these shirts. From now on we will be able to have our own Knights Days so watch for posts on the blog about this. I will send the t-shirts home along with the folder on Monday.

On Monday December 9th (not this coming up Monday but the following week), we are going to the Wayland Sports Gymnastics and the kids will wear casual clothes for that day. If they want to wear their new knights shirt they are welcome to, but this is not mandatory.

Looking forward to the Christmas concert I have some additional things for your calendar. Our last day in PTK before Christmas break is December 18th, however we are also participating in the Christmas Concert with the other primary classes and therefore will be part of the dress rehearsal and concert on Thursday, December 19th. The dress rehearsal is from 9:15- 10:15. For the concert, the students should be dropped off in the classroom by 12:30 (they should have had their lunch at that point). During the concert, while our class is not on stage, we will sit as a class together in the same row. At the end of the concert the students can be picked up in the class room most likely around 2pm.

Also during December I would like to give opportunity for some of you to share family holiday traditions you do with your family, that might be new to others. I will be sharing some of my Swiss traditions with the class as well. If you would be interested in coming in to the kindergarten one morning or afternoon please let me know and we can plan further details together.

Stay warm on these windy days and enjoy the pictures from this lovely bunch.

Mrs. Ellis

Dear Parents,

We can look back to a great week here in the PTK classroom. Applesauce making with Mrs. Morris was such a great way to get the week started and having so many cute cowgirls and cowboys here on Wednesday was a lot of fun too! Come have a look at all the family trees that have grown in the room.

There were 3 papers in the home folder yesterday:

• The bible memory verse -Thank you for your continuous support to hide the Word in our little one’s hearts.
• Field Trip Form to Wayland Sport Gymnastics – thanks for returning the permission slip
• A hand out “When I’m with my family, we like to …” – This paper can be done in many different ways. You can write, draw and let your child colour, your child draws, siblings draw, one activity or many different ones, etc… my hope is that this can stir on some fun family conversations. Please send this page back and we will have time for each student to share.

November 25th Highroad Academy is starting a school wide Food Drive partnering with The Salvation Army going right up to Christmas break. We are having a goal to reach 20 000 points. For each food item the students bring in we get points. Our class is in the ‘Mac and Cheese group’ along with some other grades. That means for each Mac and Cheese box that is donated, we get 5 points. Other food items are welcome as well of course, but will give us 1 point per item. Thank you for your generosity!

For our family theme we started an ‘Antique Roadshow and tell‘ where the students get the opportunity to bring an item that is older than they are. Maybe you still have a toy, blanket, shoes, etc from when you were a child and any of these items would be great for this show and tell. The students are taking turns and will bring home a show and tell bag. Once you get this bag, all the instructions are in a duo tang inside. Please fill it out and send it back to school the following day. Thank you for your participation.

Have a great weekend

Mrs Ellis

Dear Parents,

Some of your kiddos inspired me this past week by telling me all about their Christmas decorating. Now my weekend was spent doing that as well. It is funny how each year my kids say ‘the Christmas tree shrunk’ but really they did the growing and by now even the top of the tree gets some ornaments 🙂

Anyways, I hope you had a good weekend as well. Here are some infos for this coming week of Kindergarten.

Monday, November 18th – If possible, please send an apple to school with your child tomorrow. Mrs. Morris plans to come in for a visit (unless she feels not well) and has a yummy activity to share with us.

Tuesday, November 19th – Photo retake (if desired)

Wednesday, November 20th – Western dress up day. Kids can wear casual bottoms with a fun shirt, vest, and/ or hat. (Kids choosing not to participate can wear the uniform)

See you tomorrow

Mrs. Ellis

Dear Parents,

Another beautiful fall week is behind us. I have just a few things to write to you about.

Hand washing

As we are into a season of more sniffles and coughing, I ask you to help me remind our students of the importance of hand washing and coughing into our elbows. Thank you.

Photos

The photo order form was sent home this week. If your child needs a photo retake, this will be done on Nov. 19th. Let the office know and they will add it on their tally sheet.

Welcome Wednesday

Thank you if you were able to join us for Welcome Wednesday and for including an additional friend to your reading time.

Also a heartfelt thank you to you who shared your Heroes with us for the board outside our classroom!

In these coming weeks our theme will be family. There will be a few homework sheets coming home which will help you to engage in some family conversations with your child.

Memory Verse

The students have been doing so good at their memory verses, and even though this coming week will be short with the school closure on Monday, we are going to learn and test the H verse. Thank you for your continuous support in that precious activity of learning God’s Word.

Have a meaningful long weekend with your families

Mrs. Ellis

Thank you parents for taking time to come in on Friday for the parent teacher interviews. It was lovely meeting with you all. Please know that the door is alway open if you have any questions or want to chat about things concerning your beautiful kindergartener.

This coming week we want to start our Welcome Wednesday. This means from now on we will welcome you on Wednesdays for the first 10 minutes of our day to come into the classroom. You will be able to choose a book with your child, find a spot and read to them. This gives the students a chance to share some of our classroom books with you.

I understand that this doesn’t fit into all the schedules. The idea is that parents who are available would open their little story time to an additional student who has no parent around at that point. Thank you for joining in.

With Remembrance Day approaching I also want to point out that our school is holding a Remembrance Day service this Friday from 2-3 pm. Even though we have no class that day you are welcome to join this service in the gym.

Remembrance Day, Monday November 11th, the school will be closed.

Dear Parents,

I wanted to make sure to connect with you about the upcoming Parent Teacher Interview tomorrow, November 1.

2- Proceed to the room of the teacher you’d like to chat with about your child. Interviews are 15 minutes.

See you tomorrow

Dear Parents,

What a great time we had at the pumpkin patch today! Thank you parents who joined us, that was great! The weather was wonderful as well! Have fun with the pumpkin that your child got to bring home. I did send home the little pumpkin activity booklet that we received at the Chilliwack Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch. Have fun with this.

Here just a reminder that our Scholastic Book Fair will be Tuesday- Thursday this week.  It will be open between 8:30 – 9:00 and again after school. The foyer will be a busy place 🙂

See you tomorrow

Dear Parents,

There was lots of learning going on this week for the students and for me too :). Maybe your child told you about the job of a leaf?

With our field trip to the pumpkin patch, fall colours day, and parent teacher interviews coming up, I just wanted to give you more information.

Monday Pumpkin Patch Field trip

• students wear play clothes and boots
• parents who signed up to join us have two transportation options. Either you ride on the bus with us (without any younger siblings) and meet us at school at 10:30, or meet us right at the farm just before 11 am. Let me know at mellis@highroadacademy.com what you decide. Also please pay for your own admission right at the farm, this will be around $6. I will assign 3 kids to you to keep an eye on and to offer help if needed during the time we are at the farm. Thank you for your help!

Also on Monday please send one or a few fall objects (like pinecones, a beautiful leaf, acorns etc.) along with your child. These will help us in some upcoming activities.

Wednesday Fall Colour Day

On Wednesday, October 30th will be our Fall Colour Day. Students can wear casual bottoms and a fall colour shirt. This will only be for the ptk class. Students who choose not to participate wear their uniforms.

Friday Parent Teacher Interviews

On Friday, Nov. 1st, we are having parent teacher interviews. Thank you if you already signed up. If you have’t had a chance yet, the clip board will be outside the classroom on Monday to sign up in a time slot ranging from 10 am to 4 pm. If these times don’t work for you, please let me know and we can schedule another time that would suit you better.

I added a yellow paper into your child’s folder. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to write them down and send it back in the folder or of course send an email to mellis@highroadacademy.com.

High five for reading all the way to the end 🙂

Have a wonderful fall weekend with your families, the weather looks like it will be beautiful.

Mrs. Ellis

Dear parents,

It has been great day for me spending time here in the pt kindergarten and getting to know your children a bit better.

Tomorrow will be picture day. We will be having both individual and class photos. Students need to wear their uniform with either their blue cardigan or zip up hoodie and of course a big smile. See you tomorrow.

Mrs. Ellis

Oops!  I totally forgot about Library today!  So, your child’s red library bag will stay at school empty until next week.  I am so sorry!  I think I got thrown off by our Monday off this week!