Week of 6/2

It's exciting and a little sad at the same time, but we are heading into our last week together. What a fantastic year it's been! I'd like to thank you for the support you've given me all year long.

During the summer, we have several learning opportunities/suggestions for you to avoid the "summer slide". Summer slide is a very real thing where if you're not engaging in any kind of learning over the summer months, your child can lose up to 20% of the year's learning. Here are some things to prevent that:

• Reading: The most important thing your child can do is continue reading daily. Whether it's sharing a book as a family or reading to him/herself, it is so important to keep up a reading routine.
• Writing: Please have your children keep a summer journal, where they can write a few sentences about what they did each day. I am encouraging your children to use the remaining pages in their Fundations journals to complete at least 8 entries during the summer. If they do, they can see me next school year and receive a prize.I also always encourage children to send me postcards or write to me over the summer about what they've been up to. I respond to every letter I receive! I will include my address in the bag of things they will bring home one day this week, most likely Thursday or Friday.
• Math: Just playing board games is actually a great math reinforcement activity. Rolling dice (adding) and counting squares really reinforces basic addition and counting skills. 
• Websites/apps:  Lexia, and HappyNumbers, and Imagine Learning will all continue to be available through July. I will send home instructions for logging into ClassLink, the district's app-management system, in their bag as well so that you can access all those programs.
• Camps & Recreational Activities: Take advantage of all that is offered in our community. Besides our own USD Extended Care Summer Camp, I know many local organizations such as YSI, The Tech Museum, Galileo Camps, and Los Gatos/Saratoga Recreation are offering great summer programs. Also, encourage your children to get away from screens and enjoy outside time!

Activities this week:
Caine's Arcade Monday 6/2
On Monday the 2nd, we will get to be players in a special arcade made by our Alta Vista 5th graders called Caine's Arcade. You can learn more about this activity here. Some of the games the 5th graders create have prizes. If your child comes home with some small toys/prizes on Monday, you will know where those are from.

Olympic Day 6/3
On Tuesday, June 3rd, Alta Vista will have its schoolwide Olympic Day. This is an annual tradition at AV. Children will participate in fun games and activities during this all-outdoor event. We wear our class t-shirts for this event to help us stick together as a "team." Please plan on sending your child in their Grasshopper t-shirt on Tuesday the 3rd. Please also be sure to send your children with a water bottle to stay hydrated during this event, and wear hats and sunscreen. We will have a wagon for bringing water bottles around with us, so they will always be available for the kids. Yearbooks will be passed out after Olympic Day if you ordered one for your child prior to the cut-off for school delivery. Your child can continue bringing the yearbook back to school for the remainder of the week to get autographs from their friends-- please supply your child with a pen for signatures. If you didn't order a yearbook, feel free to send an alternative signature item such as a journal or even the Grasshopper t-shirt.

Foam Party 6/3
We are double-booked on Tuesday the 3rd, which will require some outfit coordination on your end. We apologize-- when we scheduled the Foam Crew, Olympic Day was supposed to be on Monday. Here is what we will need you to do to prepare your child for both events:

• Send your child to school in their Grasshopper t-shirt and shoes appropriate for running/fitness. They should have a hat and sunscreen too!
• At lunch, we will change for the Foam Crew. Please pack a swimsuit and shoes that can get wet-- flip-flops, old sneakers, crocs, etc. Please also send a beach towel. To make this easier, boys could wear their swim trunks as shorts for Olympic Day, and if girls have a two-piece swimsuit, they could wear that under their clothes. However, if your child prefers to fully change into swim gear, please pack a separate bag with all the listed items (swimsuit, beach towel, water shoes).
• After the Foam Crew, we will enjoy ice cream sundaes!

Last Day 6/6

There are no special events or activities on the last day. We like to keep things calm and quiet in kindergarten since this can be an emotional day for all. Please note that school is dismissed at 12:15 on the last day, and we do not go to lunch on this day. If your child needs a lunch, s/he can pick up a bag lunch at dismissal time from the cafeteria, otherwise, lunch is at home or extended care on this day-- please plan accordingly. 

Week of 5/27

Thank you for coming to Open House last Wednesday. It was wonderful to see the children showing off their work to family members! 

With just nine school days left, we are into the final countdown with lots of fun review activities mixed in with several more events. Keep your calendars updated! 

Paper Grocery Bags Update

Thanks to many families who sent in extra grocery bags, we no longer need bags. Just a reminder that I won't be sending home any more Wednesday envelopes. For the remainder of the year, finished projects will go in these bags, and your child will bring the bag home on the last week of school. Report cards will also go home in this bag-- I will staple those inside.

ROAR Dance Party Wednesday

This Wednesday the 28th, we've earned our second ROAR Dance Party! We are excited to dance and jam with Carl the Cougar!

Whimsical Wednesday Ice Cream Sales

This Wednesday the 28th, there will be ice cream sales after school on the primary blacktop. Bring a dollar & your patience if you'd like to enjoy an after-school ice cream.

Multicultural Fair & Art Show

This is the final schoolwide event this year, and one you won't want to miss!  On May 30th, the Alta Vista primary playground will be transformed to a worldwide cultural event! Many families from our class will be helping host booths and taking part in the cultural performances. Additionally, every child in our class will have art on display in the Art Vista Art Show. Come out for this wonderful community-building event. 

Caine's Arcade

On Monday the 2nd, we will get to be players in a special arcade made by our Alta Vista 5th graders called Caine's Arcade. You can learn more about this activity here. Some of the games the 5th graders create have prizes. If your child comes home with some small toys/prizes on Monday, you will know where those are from.

Olympic Day 6/3

On Tuesday, June 3rd, Alta Vista will have its schoolwide Olympic Day. This is an annual tradition at AV. Children will participate in fun games and activities during this all-outdoor event. We wear our class t-shirts for this event to help us stick together as a "team." Please plan on sending your child in their Grasshopper t-shirt on Tuesday the 3rd. Please also be sure to send your child with a water bottle to stay hydrated during this event. Yearbooks will be passed out after Field Day if you ordered one for your child prior to the cut-off for school delivery. Your child can continue bringing the yearbook back to school for the remainder of the week to get autographs from their friends-- please supply your child with a pen for signatures. 

Foam Crew 6/3

We are double-booked on Tuesday the 3rd, which will require some outfit coordination on your end. We apologize-- when we scheduled the Foam Crew, Olympic Day was supposed to be on Monday. Here is what we will need you to do to prepare your child for both events:

• Send your child to school in their Grasshopper t-shirt and shoes appropriate for running/fitness. They should have a hat and sunscreen too!
• At lunch, we will change for the Foam Crew. Please pack a swimsuit and shoes that can get wet-- flip-flops, old sneakers, crocs, etc. Please also send a beach towel. To make this easier, boys could wear their swim trunks as shorts for Olympic Day, and if girls have a two-piece swimsuit, they could wear that under their clothes. However, if your child prefers to fully change into swim gear, please pack a separate bag with all the listed items (swimsuit, beach towel, water shoes).
• After the Foam Crew, we will enjoy ice cream sundaes!

Last Day 6/6

There are no special events or activities on the last day. We like to keep things calm and quiet in kindergarten since this can be an emotional day for all. Please note that school is dismissed at 12:15 on the last day, and we do not go to lunch on this day. If your child needs a lunch, s/he can pick up a bag lunch at dismissal time from the cafeteria, otherwise, lunch is at home or extended care on this day-- please plan accordingly.

Looking forward to a fun final nine days!

Week of 5/19

We enjoyed another great trip to the school garden on Friday, and we planted a bed full of wildflowers for our future butterflies to come back and enjoy. Mr. John (garden lead) encouraged the children to come back over the summer and harvest any veggies they see growing in the Alta Vista garden. Enjoy!

Open House

We are looking forward to showing off so much work for you in our room this Wednesday the 21st for Open House! Please drop by our classroom any time between 6:00 and 7:00 to have your child show you around our room and share many projects with you. This is a family event & your child's night to shine! Please join us!

Multicultural Fair & Art Show

This is another must-attend event on May 30th. Many families from our class will be helping host booths and taking part in the cultural performances. Additionally, every child in our class will have art on display in the Art Vista Art Show. Come out for this wonderful community-building event. 

Language Arts

We will continue reviewing sound patterns we've studied throughout this year. Digraphs, blends, silent "Mama" e, Bossy r, and vowel teams are all in the mix! We have introduced all sight words from the district list now, so we will end the year with a few bonus sight words. 

Science

Our caterpillars all went into chrysalises last week, so we are awaiting butterflies! Maybe you'll see some at Open House!

Math

This week, we will wrap up our final math module with Topic D. In this topic, students conclude the year by applying comparison strategies to situations involving greater numbers and measurable attributes. Students use their understanding of part–total relationships to decompose teen numbers into 10 ones and some ones before comparing. Measurement scenarios extend student learning and set the stage for comparison in grade 1.

Reminders

**Our final visit to the library was last week! Please return your child's library book by Wednesday.

**School spirit days are every Wednesday. Wear your Alta Vista t-shirts or your Grasshopper t-shirts to show your school pride 

Upcoming Events

Wednesday, 5/21: Open House

Monday, 5/26: Memorial Day, No School

Friday, 5/30: Multicultural Night

Tuesday, 6/3: Olympic Day & Class Party (Foam Crew)

Friday, 6/6: Last Day of School: Dismissal at 12:15

Week of 5/12

I hope all the moms are enjoying a wonderful Mother's Day weekend. Hopefully, you all found your portrait with your child's biography about you in the last Wednesday envelope. They all did a fantastic job writing about one of their favorite subjects-- their moms. :)

This is the last week of classroom centers! I'd like to thank everyone who has volunteered in centers. I could not do all the projects and small-group instruction without your support. Thank you so much. This is also the last week of library time. We will check out one last book on Wednesday, and we will return it the following week so that the library can complete their inventory. Thank you also for the wonderful support in the library! 

Language Arts

This week's sight word is where. We have now introduced all sight words that are on the kindergarten list for the school year, but every word eventually becomes a sight word with further exposure. We will be spending time in the next weeks reinforcing all the words on our list, and introducing a few "bonus" words. We will also continue with our final unit of Fundations, Unit 5. This unit will focus on merging all the skills we've learned so far: spelling, sentence writing, writing conventions, and reading with fluency. 

Our caterpillars grew a lot this week, and the children love checking in on them each day.  We will continue integrating our butterfly theme in our classroom with our art, science, reading, and writing. 

Math

This week, we begin Topic C. In this topic, students master the count to 100 by using pattern and structure. They discover that number words after 20 can be formed by pairing a decade word with a number word one through nine. Students consider efficiency as they organize materials into groups and as they decide when to count by tens or ones.

Upcoming:

Open House

On Wednesday, May 21st  at 6:00-7:00 the Alta Vista campus will be hosting Open House. This is a night where you can come check out many projects on display in our classroom. Children are working hard on art, writing, and math projects that will all be on display that night. I hope you will join me in K2 to come and see the amazing work your children have been doing! 

Multicultural Night & Art Show

On Friday, May 30th, Alta Vista will be hosting our annual Multicultural Night and Art Vista Art Show. Travel all around the world without ever leaving the AV Campus! You can play games, watch performances, and sample cultural dishes, all while learning about all the countries that are represented. In addition, every child will have several pieces of art on display in the Art Vista Art Show. Come see what your student worked on during all their art lessons this year. This is one of my favorite events-- I hope I'll see you there!

Reminders

**Library is every Wednesday. Please return your child's library book by Tuesday each week.

**School spirit days are every Wednesday. Wear your Alta Vista t-shirts or your Grasshopper t-shirts to show your school pride 

This Week's Helpers & Activities
Monday: Centers @ 12:20 (Emily & Meeta)
Tuesday: Centers @ 12:20  (Yoon & Franklin)
Wednesday: Library @ 9:10 (Reader: Franklin Check-out: Emily), Music @ 12:15, Dismissal @ 1:15 

Upcoming Events

Wednesday, 5/21: Open House

Monday, 5/26: Memorial Day, No School

Friday, 5/30: Multicultural Night

Tuesday, 6/3: Olympic Day & Class Party (Foam Crew)

Friday, 6/6: Last Day of School: Dismissal at 12:15 

Week of 5/5

 It's Family Day this Friday! We are excited to see you all this Friday the 9th from 8:15 to about 9:30 at the K2 Makerspace. Important: All attendees must sign in at the office and get a badge to attend the event. To avoid the line, you may stop by the office any day this week and tell Mrs. Keenan that you need a badge for the Kindergarten Family Day. It looks like we'll have a full house on Friday because I haven't heard from anyone that their child will not have a guest, but please be sure to let me know if that is not the case so that I can pair your child up with another family. Remember that there is a maximum of two guests per student. Because there are several crafting stations, and there are only supplies for kindergarten students, we are unable to accommodate younger siblings at this event. Please talk to your child's teacher if this is a problem.

Also this Friday is the Splashtacular Fantasy Fair, and you won't want to miss it! This is a very fun school-wide carnival with game booths and bouncy houses, a cake walk, food, face painting, and more!. The Fair is from 5:00 to 8:00. Be sure to stop by for some fun! 

On another Fantasy Faire note, if your child enjoys baking, I encourage you to participate in the cake decorating contest. Bring your cakes or cupcakes to school on Friday morning before 8:15 for the contest. It is really fun to see the cakes and participate in this! It was always a favorite event of my own children, and I hope to see some K2 students' cakes in the contest. More information about the cake contest, and how to volunteer at the Fair to help make it a success can be found on the Splashtacular website: https://www.avhsc.org/fantasy_fair

Language Arts
Our sight word this week is little. We will continue focusing on digraphs in our final unit of Fundations, Unit 5. This unit will focus on merging all the skills we've learned so far: spelling, sentence writing, writing conventions, and reading with fluency. 

We continue to study butterflies, reading both fiction and non-fiction books about them. This week, live caterpillars will arrive in our classroom that we will watch as they transform into butterflies. 

Math

This week, we continue Topic B of our module on place value. Students expand their experience with place value and part–total relationships by representing teen numbers with number bonds and number sentences. Story contexts offer an entry point for students to connect real-life situations to abstract mathematical representations. Each story uses 10 as a part to reinforce the understanding that teen numbers are composed of 10 ones and some more ones.

UPCOMING/REMINDERS

Open House

On the evening of May 21st (last year it was at 6:00), the Alta Vista campus is open for you to come enjoy Open House, where all the wonderful projects your students have recently made will be on display. This is an important event to your children-- they love showing off all their hard work. Please mark your calendars!

Mulitcultural Fair & Art Vista Show

Mark your calendars for the Multicultural Fair and Art Vista art show on Friday, May 30th. The Multicultural Fair is another hallmark Alta Vista event! Students will be performing in the cultural presentations and dances, and families from our class will be helping sponsor booths. The art show is also that night, where every student will have art on display in the cafeteria. You won't want to miss it!

Reminders

**Library is every Wednesday. Please return your child's library book by Tuesday each week.

**School spirit days are every Wednesday. Wear your Alta Vista t-shirts or your Grasshopper t-shirts to show your school pride 

**There are still a couple of center/library openings left. Check out the Sign-Up Genius to come in and help

This Week's Helpers & Activities
Monday: Centers @ 12:20 (Emily & Franklin)
Tuesday: Centers @ 12:20  (Tsuping & Shelbie)
Wednesday: Library @ 9:10 (Reader: Emily, Check-out: Shelbie), Music @ 12:15, Dismissal @ 1:15 

Friday: Family Day @ 8:15, Fantasy Fair at 5:00

Upcoming Events

Friday, 5/9: Kindergarten Family Day 8:15-9:30

Friday, 5/9: AV Fantasy Fair 5:00-8:00 pm

Wednesday, 5/21: Open House

Friday, 5/30: Multicultural Night