Friday, September 12, 2025

Weekly Update: September 12, 2025

Peek at the Week:

We had a great 2nd week of school! We continue to practice the rules and routines of our classroom and school while we start specific curriculum lessons. Please remember to send a snack with your child each day and return the Take Home Folder every Monday. Thanks for all your help and support at home! I know the transition back to school can be hard for everyone! 🙂

Literacy: We worked to build our classroom reading community by listening to and discussing the story This is the Way We Go To School and the poem “New Friends.” The students learned about IDR time (Independent Daily Reading Time) and worked to build their reading stamina. The students learned about the importance of working independently and practiced this skill throughout the week. Finally, the students took a one-on-one reading assessment with a teacher from the district screening team. We will use this information to help guide our instruction.

Phonics: We have a new phonics curriculum this year called Magnetic Reading Foundations. The components of each lesson include: Phonological awareness, phonics, high-frequency words and fluency. This week we worked on:

Phonological Awareness: rhyming and phoneme skills work

Phonics: Vowel: short a; Consonants m, t, b, c, n, s, p, r, h, d

Super Words (high frequency words): and, see, the, to

Fluency: At Bat and Can I Help?

A paper copy of the book Can I Help? is in your child’s Take Home Folder. Have them practice reading this story at home!

Math: We also are implementing a new math curriculum this year called Reveal Math. In our first lessons of Unit 1, the students identified their own and others’ superpowers in math and are learning about real-world problems and how to solve them using pictures, counters and tens frames. They also explored strategies for describing and extending patterns.

Writing: Based on the story This is the Way We Go To School, the students created a class book. Each child wrote a silly sentence about how they would get to school. In addition, the students wrote an acrostic ABC poem and created a bus craft. Finally, they practiced writing their first and last names using their neatest handwriting.

Social Studies: We read and discussed the Scholastic News “High Five, School Citizens!” We read our first Amazeworks story called Strictly No Elephants. This story highlighted empathy and understanding, respecting other’s differences and being responsive when someone is not being treated fairly.

Things to Know:

Upcoming Events/Reminders:

September 17 - The first day of Library!

September 16th & 23rd - aReading & aMath Assessments: We will use this information to learn more about your child’s skills.

Sept 29 - Dodge Field Trip - 11:45 - 1:30. Please let me know if you would like to chaperone! All chaperones need to complete a background check prior to volunteering.The district arranges and pays for this. You will need to fill out this short Background Check Form.

Sept 29 - Oct 3 - Kindness in Chalk! - See the flyer attached to this email for more details. If any families are interested in donating chalk, Mrs. K would appreciate it!

Picture Time!

Have a great weekend!

Friday, September 5, 2025

Week ONE was FUN! (Weekly Update: September 5th, 2025)

Hello first grade families,

Week one of first grade... check!! This crew already has a hold on my heart. In just our first week, they have shown so much kindness, empathy, and great listening skills. I don't know how many times I had to ask, "Are you sure you're first graders?" because of their wonderful listening and direction following. It certainly is going to be a year to remember!

Please take a minute to read about our upcoming events and also some first grade classroom routines.

Our FIRST Field Trip is Coming!

We will have our first field trip to Dodge Nature Center on Monday, September 29 from 11:45 - 1:30. Our topic of study will be Trees. Please let me know if you would like to help chaperone. All chaperones need to complete a background check prior to volunteering.The district arranges and pays for this. You will need to fill out this short Background Check Form.

First Grade Picnic-

Mark your calendars for our first grade picnic! These PFG sponsored events are held as a way to start building relationships among other Somerset families to put some faces to names after the first weeks of school.

Our first grade picnic will be on Tuesday, September 9th from 5:30-7:00pm.

Take Home Folders

Your first grader will take home a folder every Friday. It will mostly have their work from the week, but also some reminders and sometimes things that may need to be signed and returned. Please take a look at this each weekend and send it back empty every Monday. Thank you!

First Grade Rules!

This week, we learned about why rules in school are important. Not only do they help keep our classroom a fun place to learn, but they are so important for our safety as well. Please review our 5 classroom rules with your child over the weekend:

Okay, okay...Before I post this last rule, it is important to know that your child's teachers are happiest when your child is kind, safe, and trying his/her best. This rule is a reminder to do those things (aaaaand maybe a little bit of an "umbrella" rule: If you are about to do something that could make your teacher sad or upset, you probably shouldn't be doing it anyway!) Thus, we have Rule #5:

I have been a happy, happy teacher this week! 💗

Classroom Schedule

The first week of school is a time for us to get to know each other and begin to create our classroom family bond. We spent a majority of the week working on relationship building and learning routines. Next week we will begin our classroom academic schedule and kick off our literacy, math, and writing blocks. Here is our class schedule! (Of course, we will always work at being efficient at school so that we can carve in some "choice time" when possible!)

Picture Day-

SMILE! Picture day is on Tuesday, September 9th. Our pictures are most likely in the morning to avoid the food spills and messy hair that can happen during lunch and recess. :-)

Breakfast Reminder-

Breakfast and lunch are free of charge for students this year. Please discuss with your child before school each morning about whether or not they would like breakfast. We go to our specialist classes promptly at 8 am, so drop-off time should also be considered if you would like your child to eat breakfast. (Doors open at 7:30 am, school day begins at 7:45 am). If your child is arriving closer to 8, school breakfast may be a bit rushed!

Important dates:

9/9: School Picture Day
9/9: 1st/2nd grade Family Picnic 5:30-7pm Somerset Playground
9/12: Warrior Rally @ District Office Parking Lot 4:00-6:00pm

9/25: Giveback Night at Chipotle WSP - 4:00-8:00PM
9/27: ISD197 Warrior 5K Run/Walk @ Two Rivers High School
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9/30: Parent Family Group (PFG) Meeting - 6:00-7:30 in Media Center