WEEK IN A PEEK!

December 18, 2009
Dear Parents:
THIS WEEK WE: had Little Elf hearing, smelling, tasting, touching and seeing all kinds of things. We are putting together a book and will finish that on Monday.
We are also measuring various items like our shoes, tables, books etc. with unifix cubes and chain links. You can practice at home. Encourage them to start at one end and line them up next to each other to determine their length.
NEXT WEEK WE WILL: be finishing up a few things and enjoy Polar Express on Tuesday.
CHRISTMAS EXCHANGE:
We will have a class exchange on Tuesday, December 22nd. We are going to fill a stocking for each child! Everyone is asked to bring enough little treats for each child in our class. Examples would be 19 erasers, pencils, pieces of wrapped candy, balloons, bubbles, etc. Things that you might provide for a birthday party as favors. We will have a low key “class family” celebration sometime on Tuesday. Parents are not asked to assist with this one. I know you are busy getting ready for your family celebrations. I will provide some simple treats and they will stuff stockings and receive their stocking. That is also our school wide Polar Express Day! We will all be wearing our pajamas, singing Christmas carols and having hot chocolate!!
END OF SEMESTER: The end of the semester will be December 23rd. I am nearly finished testing each child.
FAST START: I will send home a new set of papers on Monday. You can do the same type of activities with books that you read at home also!
SERVICE PROJECT: Thanks to all that were able to come last Sat. to the nursing home. I think the residents enjoyed our visit and helped to brighten their day! 
THEME: Polar Express
Thank you,
Mrs. Donna Mountjoy

WEEK IN A PEEK!

December 11, 2009
Dear Parents:
THIS WEEK WE: traveled around the world looking at the traditions that families have in other countries. They really enjoyed taking their passports and “flying” to Sweden, Holland, Mexico, Germany, and Israel. They should have a suitcase full of souvenirs to show you and I hope a little bit of knowledge about holiday customs from those countries.
NEXT WEEK WE WILL: begin a unit on the “Senses”. Each day we will focus on one of our senses. We will come up with some “sense”sational activities.
CHRISTMAS EXCHANGE:
We will have a class exchange on Tuesday, December 22nd. We are going to fill a stocking for each child! Everyone is asked to bring enough little treats for each child in our class. Examples would be 19 erasers, pencils, pieces of wrapped candy, balloons, bubbles, etc. Things that you might provide for a birthday party as favors. We will have a low key “class family” celebration sometime on Tuesday. Parents are not asked to assist with this one. I know you are busy getting ready for your family celebrations. I will provide some simple treats and they will receive their stocking. That is also our school wide Polar Express Day! We will all be wearing our pajamas, singing Christmas carols and having hot chocolate!!
END OF SEMESTER: The end of the semester will be December 23rd. I have begun testing.
FAST START: Don't forget to work on the Fast Start activities. I am seeing progress and I know it helps reinforce what we are doing here. Thanks for keeping up with it. I know it helps your child gain in his/her reading skills.
Santa Breakfast: It’s time for the annual Santa Breakfast sponsored by the Mathews Elementary PTA. Breakfast is served by IHOP on Saturday, Dec. 12 from 8-11 a.m. and admission is $3 per person with a maximum of $10 per family. Activities include: letters to Santa, Christmas crafts, story time with Principal Sutherland, and raffle baskets. Pictures with Santa and Mrs. Claus are available from Life Touch Photography for $12.
SERVICE PROJECT: On Saturday, Dec. 12th we will meet at the Christian Health Care, 1104 N. Main St., at 9:50a.m. We will deliver our treat to the residents as they get out of their morning exercise class!
We will meet right inside the main entrance. See you there! 
THEME: Senses
Thank you,
Mrs. Donna Mountjoy

WEEK IN A PEEK!

Dec. 4, 2009
Dear Parents,
THIS WEEK WE: read several versions of the classic tale of the Gingerbread Man and compared them with each other. They are very much the same but different in many ways, especially, The Stinky Cheeseman. Ask your child about that one. We ended the week by making a couple items to give to residents at the Christian Health Care here in Nixa. Thanks to all that sent money and those that were able to come help. (I definitely could not have done it without you! :)
NEXT WEEK WE WILL: take a trip around the world to five different countries to see how each one traditionally celebrates the holiday season. I will be asking the kids about what their family usually does every year during the holidays. You may want to share with them stories about “Aunt Betty” and “Great Granddaddy” this weekend. Each Kindergarten teacher has developed a special lesson about a country that they will share with all the classes next week. Be sure to ask everyday where they traveled. I am preparing a ”suitcase” and a “passport” for them so they won’t have trouble making it through “customs”.
CHRISTMAS EXCHANGE:
We will have a class exchange on Tuesday, December 22nd. We are going to fill a stocking for each child! Everyone is asked to bring enough little treats for each child in our class. Examples would be 19 erasers, pencils, pieces of wrapped candy, balloons, bubbles, etc. Things that you might provide for a birthday party as favors. We will have a low key “class family” celebration sometime on Tuesday. Parents are not asked to assist with this one. I know you are busy getting ready for your family celebrations. I will provide some simple treats and they will receive their stocking. That is also our school wide Polar Express Day and we will all be wearing our pajamas!
READING SLIPS: The following people have met the reading goal for November: Mason, Ashcroft, Sophie, Connor, Cody, Johnny, Alison, Chris, Nolan, Erin, Isaac, Markus, Marley, Joshua, Kailey, Michaela, and Alaya. Congratulations!
A special note of congratulations to Markus and Marley for reading 70 books during the month of November! Way to go! Enclosed you will find a Pizza Hut coupon!
Santa Breakfast: It’s time for the annual Santa Breakfast sponsored by the Mathews Elementary PTA. Breakfast is served by IHOP on Saturday, Dec. 12 from 8-11 a.m. and admission is $3 per person with a maximum of $10 per family. Activities include: letters to Santa, Christmas crafts, story time with Principal Sutherland, and raffle baskets. Pictures with Santa and Mrs. Claus are available from Life Touch Photography for $12.
SERVICE PROJECT: On Saturday, Dec. 12th we will meet at the Christian Health Care, 1104 N. Main St., at 9:50a.m. We will deliver our treat to the residents as they get out of their morning exercise class!
CHRISTMAS STORE SHOPPING:
The PTA is sponsoring a Christmas Store again this year. All items are $1.00. Our class will visit the store next Friday, Dec.11th. Please use the enclosed envelope if you wish your child to purchase items at the store or use one of your own with a list of who they are to buy for on the outside with money enclosed. It is a great time for your child to do his/her Christmas shopping for your family.
SNOW DAYS: Watch for late start days due to inclement weather. On days that it is not safe to come to school at our regular time but the roads become better after “rush hour”, we may go ahead and have school starting at 10:40 a.m. The Alert Now program will call or listen to the television and/or radio on those days.
FAST START: Don’t forget to work on the Fast Start activities. I am seeing progress and I know it helps reinforce what we are doing here. Send back on Monday with the Friday Folder. Monday I will send 2 more poems and then we will take a break from it until after Christmas. 
THEME: Christmas Around the World

Thank you,
Mrs. Donna Mountjoy

WEEK IN A PEEK!

Nov. 25, 2009
Dear Parents,
THIS WEEK WE: It has been a short week but one that was packed with activity. The feast was truly a feast with lots of bounty. I know they will enjoy their vest and headband. We owe a big thanks to Kailey’s mom for sewing the vests. Also to all that came to help setting up before and cleaning up after the feast! We just couldn’t do it without you! You are awesome!
NEXT WEEK WE WILL: be doing a book study on the classic fairy tale, “The Gingerbread Man.” Many of you know this famous tale of a gingerbread cookie who suddenly comes to life and leads the other characters on a wild goose chase through the town. In most versions of the story, the gingerbread man finally meets his match when he tries to outsmart a sly fox. We will be reading several different versions of this story, and will discover that they are not all the same!
I am sending a construction paper gingerbread man with this newsletter. Notice it is plain, not a feature to be found. Your job, as a family, is to decorate the gingerbread man (but then again, who’s to say it has to be a man? It could be a girl. It’s up to you!) You can use any materials you want (ex. beans, ribbon, glitter, buttons, construction paper for clothes, etc.). Your imagination is the only limit!!! Please return the completed gingerbread person to school when we return from the Thanksgiving holiday.
I hope you enjoy completing this project with your Kindergartener. I can’t wait to see your family’s gingerbread man!
Service Project: Plans are made to make our service project next Friday at 1:10-2:00. If you are able to come and help, that would be great. Remember the delivery to the Christian Health Care at 1104 N. Main St. here in Nixa on Dec. 12th at 9:50a.m. We will greet the residents as they are getting out of an exercise class that morning!
BOOK SLIPS: Keep reading! I will accept book slips for Nov. until Dec. 1st. After that they will go on Dec. goals. Thanks for taking the time to write down the books read with your child. They love to earn their cutout shape each month.
FAST START FOR EARLY READING: Please continue to spend that 10 minutes each night with your child. It is paying off!
CARING KID: Michaela is our Caring Kid for the month of November for displaying the Character trait of Respect. Congratulations! Boot Camp will be Monday at 10:00a.m.
NO SCHOOL: No school on Thursday and Friday, Nov. 26th and 27th.
Have a great Thanksgiving Holiday!
Thanks,
Mrs. Donna Mountjoy
Theme: Gingerbread

WEEK IN A PEEK!

November 20, 2009
Dear Parents,
THIS WEEK WE: talked about how thankful we are for our mom and dad, brothers, sisters, grandparents and the USA. Of course, we wrote a book. It is titled,
“I Am Thankful”.
NEXT WEEK WE WILL: continue our theme. I will begin testing soon for 2nd quarter goals. Please work with your child on letter recognition and sounds. Most know all the letters and have just a few letter sounds to master. It is all going to come together very soon. Also work with first and last name and recognizing numbers to 31
FEAST: Thank you for signing up to send an item for our Thanksgiving feast. It will be Nov. 24th at 1:05 in the afternoon. If you volunteered to help set up and serve, please be here at12:45p.m. We will dress the part of the first thanksgiving and I am sure it will be a bountiful feast.
Thanks in advance for your help! (definitely a picture taking moment!)
Nuts- Mason
Raisins- Connor
Popcorn (popped)- Markus
Cookies- Ashcroft
Summer Sausage- Kailey
Cheese cubes- Chris
Hi-Ho Crackers-Joshua
Juice Boxes (12)- Michaela
Juice Boxes (12) Alison
Napkins- Cody
Plates- Erin
(Remember that all snacks must be store bought. No homemade. Sorry.)
Parent Volunteers:
Martha Skaggs
Jenny Gonzales
Buffy Busch
(Come about 12:45 to set up. We will have the kids down there about 1:10p.m.)
Nov. 25 1/2 day of school
Nov. 26-27 No School
FAST TRACK: Don’t forget to return folders on Monday along with the Friday folder. Thanks for keeping up with the program! Believe me it will help your child grow!
SERVICE PROJECT: Please see enclosed note about a service project our class is doing. I am really excited about this opportunity to teach the children about doing something kind for others!
MERIT AWARD: Kailey Tate
Congratulations!
THEME: Turkeys
Thank you,
Mrs. Donna Mountjoy

SERVICE PROJECT: We are planning a community service project for our class instead of making gingerbread houses this year. I have contacted an Assisted Living Center and they are thrilled that we are considering making a treat for some of their residents and delivering it to them. My thought is to make a simple craft project, fill it with peppermint candy and take it to the residents. We will make the project at school and then meet on a Saturday morning to deliver our treat to the residents. Maybe we could sing a song as we deliver them. The complete details are not yet worked out. We will need some help with funds. Mrs. Sutherland has given me the go ahead to ask for a $2.00 donation from each student for the supplies. I will take care of purchasing everything. The other thing needed is parent help to get it put together. The making of our service project craft will be on Dec. 4th at 1:05-2:00p.m. I would invite any that can come and help us out to be here at that time. Please understand that our class is doing this en lieu of making the gingerbread houses that Kindergarten has done the last few years. It will be a great project to stress doing something kind for others this holiday season. In the meantime, I would ask that you send $2.00 to school with your child next week and I will get all the necessary supplies. Also mark your calendar for Saturday, Dec. 12th. We will meet at the Christian Health Care Center, 1104 North Main here in Nixa at 9:50a.m. to deliver our gift. This is also the date of Breakfast with Santa at Mathews Elementary. My hope is that you will consider taking in both of these opportunities! Thank you in advance for all the help and support!
Mrs. Diann Eisman

Check the items below that you will be able to help with. Cut off and return:
_____ I am enclosing $2.00 to help with the cost of supplies for the Service Project.
_____ I am marking my calendar for Dec. 4th to come to the school and help the children with this Service Project.
_____ I am marking my calendar for Saturday, Dec. 12th, 9:50a.m. to come, along with my child, to deliver the gift to the residents of the Christian Health Care.

WEEK IN A PEEK!

November 13, 2009
Dear Parents,
THIS WEEK WE: talked about the first Thanksgiving and the Pilgrims’ Native American friends that taught them how to survive in this new land. We worked on Indian outfits and read about how Pilgrim and Indian boys and girls lived. We wrote a book after giving ourselves an Indian name. It may become their nickname this year.
The Veteran’s Day Assembly was on Tuesday. I hope they got a sense of appreciation for the men and women that serve in our armed forces.
NEXT WEEK WE WILL: continue talking out being thankful and about the first Thanksgiving feast.
FUNDRAISER: We had an assembly this morning to find out the results of our fundraiser effort. Several from our class received hats! Each seller had tickets that went into a jar to select the lucky winner of being the principal for a day. Our very own Kailey won! We are so excited! Mrs. Sutherland will let us know when that day will be. One of her duties will be to purchase some new playground equipment! Our class was also one of the top selling classes! For that we received a $50 gift certificate from IPA (an educational supply store)!
NUTRITION NIGHT: Tuesday, Nov. 17th at 6:30-8:30p.m. Details enclosed.
FEAST: Thank you for signing up to send an item for our Thanksgiving feast. It will be Nov. 24th at 1:05 in the afternoon. If you volunteered to help set up and serve, please be here at 12:45p.m. I will send a reminder in the next week newsletter. We will dress the part of the first thanksgiving, parade into the gym and I am sure it will be a bountiful feast. (definitely a picture taking moment!)
Nuts- Mason
Raisins- Connor
Popcorn (popped)- Markus
Cookies- Ashcroft
Summer Sausage- Kailey
Cheese cubes- Chris
Hi-Ho Crackers-Joshua
Juice Boxes (12)- Michaela
Juice Boxes (12) Alison
Napkins- Cody
Plates- Erin
(Remember that all snacks must be store bought. No homemade. Sorry.)
Parent Volunteers:
Martha Skaggs
(Come about 12:45 to set up. We will have the kids down there about 1:10p.m.)
(We could use more volunteers if you are able to come, please do!)
Thanks in advance for your help!
Nov. 25 1/2 day of school
Nov. 26-27 No School
FAST TRACK: Don’t forget to return folders on Monday along with the Friday folder. Thanks for keeping up with the program! Believe me it will help your child grow!
MERIT AWARD: Sophie Dunn
Congratulations! :)
THEME: THANKFULNESS
Thank you,
Mrs. Donna Mountjoy

WEEK IN A PEEK!

WEEK IN A PEEK!
November 6, 2009
Dear Parents,
THIS WEEK WE: read about leaves and the trees they come from. We made more graphic organizers as we sorted Fall leaves. They worked as a team at each table group and made their own small bar graph to show the results. Thanks for the leaves you sent. I hope you enjoyed going for that nature walk.
NEXT WEEK WE WILL: talk about Native Americans and how they helped the Pilgrims. We are working with numbers, specifically, identifying numbers to 31. Each child has a number ring here at school to help us practice. Practice at home too. Next Tuesday, we will honor veterans that have served our country. If you know a veteran you would like to invite to our Veteran’s Day assembly, please do so. There will be a reception especially for the veteran’s from 8:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. in the library. Then at 9:00 all the students and guests will go into the gym for our assembly.
FEAST: Thank you for signing up to send an item for our Thanksgiving feast. It will be Nov. 24th from 2:30-3:20 in the afternoon. If you volunteered to help set up and serve, please be here at 2:05p.m. We will dress the part of the first thanksgiving and I am sure there will be a bountiful feast. I will send a reminder next Friday about what you signed up to bring.
Thanks in advance for your help!
FAST START: Return the the Fast Start notebook on Monday with the Friday folder. We had very close to 100% participation this past week. Your child will benefit greatly from the time you spend each evening. Remember, it is just 10 min. a night! 
FALL PARTY: It was today! Thanks to our moms for working hard to get it together and make it a special time for our class! 
VETERANS DAY: Tuesday, Nov. 10th Assembly in the gym at 9:00. It might be nice to wear red, white or blue.
CONGRATULATIONS: The following people have earned a coupon from Pizza Hut for meeting our reading goal the month of October! They are: Mason, Ashcroft, Sophie, Connor, Cody, Johnny, Alison, Chris, Nolan, Erin, Isaac, Markus, Marley, Kailey, Michaela, Apryl, and Alaya. A special note of congratulations goes to Kailey for reading 80 books! Thank you again for filling out the book slips and reading with your child. Also I think it would be fine to count the 10 minutes an evening as a book that you work on Fast Track. Just write Fast Track and the title of the poem!
MERIT AWARD: Marley Seaton gets our merit award this week! Congratulations!
THEME: Veterans Day,
Native Americans
Thank you,
Mrs. Donna Mountjoy