Do You Believe That We Had a SNOW DAY!!!

Dear Families of K-207,

HAPPY SNOW DAY!!!!! I don't know about you parents, but I felt just like a one of the children today when I got up early and heard that schools were closed. I was so happy and excited as I am sure all the children at PS 154 were. It brought me back to my early childhood when - as children - my brothers and sisters couldn't wait for days like today. The last snow day for public schools occurred in 1996 when my seventeen year old son, Brendan, was in Kindergarten! Today was a day for children to go to Prospect Park and enjoy the last days of winter. After listening to the Mayor today, he told the children out of school that they better do their homework because schools will definitely be open tomorrow... Good things have to come to an end - I guess.

Some important news....

The Kindergarten classes invite your child’s extended family to join us for a

Grandparents AND
Special Family AND Friends Morning

Friday, March 20 - First Day of Spring!!!!!
8:40-9:20 am


This month, the kindergarten classes will be studying our families. As part of our Family Study, we invite your child’s grandparents, or members of your extended family (including special friends of the family) to join us in the classroom on Friday, March 13th. The morning will be a lovely time for grown-ups to read to children in small groups. Children will also have the opportunity to share some of their work from our Family Study and to show their classroom to these important adults in their lives!

• Our Family Study & Family Interviews in Class:
We will be learning more about one another’s families, reading more family stories and exploring the question of what it means to be a family. As part of this study, children will be learning about the concept of an interview as a means to gather information about our families. We will begin these family interviews next week. We would like to invite an adult from each family to sign-up to come into the classroom to be interviewed by the children. Interviews will take place from approximately 9:10-9:25 each day of the week. Please respond at your earliest opportunity with the morning that can work for you.

I would just like to say how proud I am of your children. They are becoming Readers, Writers and Mathematicians!! I see such a big growth in each and every one of them. They are very independent! The children are reading for 30 minutes without stopping and writing for 30 minutes or longer everyday! They are so excited about school and are eager to be in the classroom every single day. I am so happy that everyday each child knows what his or her morning job is and goes about their routines without help from me. These children will certainly be ready for first grade.

I will soon be posting the pictures from the Chinese New Year field trip at Pacificana Restaurant. I am missing my UBS cord. We all had a great time though! The children got to eat a variety of dishes such as lo mein, egg rolls, and fried rice. There was a Lion Dance performance, and even a pretend sword fight for the children to watch! It was one of our best trips and the children and parents who came really had a great time.

For Parent as Enrichment Partners on March 6th, the children will be publishing their How-To Books. The books are great and so interesting! Your children really have taught me so many interesting things. I have learned to make a mini fruit shake, how to brush my teeth, how to blow dry my hair and how to read and do math. The children love to write these books and I am sure that you will love hearing them next Friday.

On March 4th at 1:00 p.m., the FAMOUS drummer - Anthony Pinciotti - will be working with Class K-207 in our classroom doing a DRUM CIRCLE. Anthony and his wonderful wife, Annette Taconnelli, were parents in my classroom last year. Their son, Salvatore, is now in first grade. Last year, my class had a drum circle with Anthony and I asked Anthony if he would be willing to do it again this year (and for every year that I am at the school). He could not say no to me. It was wonderful last year and I expect it to be just as wonderful this year. I invite any parent who would like to listen to their children's music to come and join us. You will be amazed at the performance.

The kindergarten teachers are also planning to take the children bowling at the end of our Family Unit and hope that you will join us on that trip. We are also planning a trip to a theatre in Tribeca the beginning of May to see the Paper Bag Players. Time is really flying. Every year, I say to myself that this is the best class and that I will never have another like it. Yet, with every class that I have, I love them just as much and maybe even a little more.

Parent Teacher Conferences will be happening soon so I hope to see all of you there. More on dates and times later this week. The session is for 10 minutes. If you need to see me for a longer period of time, please arrange another date and time. I will be very happy to accommodate.

Thank you for the opportunity to teacher your children.

Fondly,
Mrs. Graham