Friday, June 12, 2015

The Final Highlights of This Year

June 12, 2015
Dear Families,

This has been a busy, busy week! On Monday full play practices began on the stage. We loved watching each other practice. We made props and headpieces on Tuesday. Wednesday we practiced staging the whole thing so we'd be ready. Thursday we had our dress rehearsal in the morning with Ben's class, Kindergarten, and Mrs. Costello's class in our audience. We also performed in the afternoon for our 6th grade buddies and families. Thanks to everyone who pitched in and helped practice lines, find or make costumes, helped with props, or helped with clean-up before the All School Meeting! Next week we'll watch the videos of our plays together on the SMARTBoard....but unfortunately the files are too large to post on the blog. Sorry!

We had our final days of math class, science, and handwriting this week also. We also had our final 6th grade buddy time and made posters to commemorate our time spent together all year. Students have begun to bring home some school materials and more of their work.

Friday was our field day down at Wrightsville Reservoir. Thanks to all who contributed to our picnic--we couldn't have done it without you!

This week our room has gotten a little crowded as I've begun the many stages of packing. The room also looks sparse with so much taken down from the walls. As I am packing up the classroom the hardest things to take down are the pieces of art we've accumulated.
Here's a portrait of our class that a few class members made at the beginning of the school year:



This Saturday I'm having a packing party in the classroom--adults only. I hope to get as many of the books and materials packed as possible. I plan to be at school around 9:00 a.m. and will be here til dinner, so 6:00 or 7:00 p.m.. If any of you parents have an hour or two to spare and want to help me pack or just assemble and close boxes, please come! To keep this busy process manageable please do leave your kids at home (they'll get a chance to help next week).

On Monday and Tuesday all the students will be helping to clean the furniture and bins--hope for sun so we can scrub outside and let things dry! We'll also do some final organizing and take home the remainder of our work and materials. On these days we'll also finish reading My Father's Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett, do some writing, and have time together as a class to commemorate our wonderful year together.


Wednesday will be the last day of school. We'll have Step-Up Day in the morning (the first time gathered with new classes in next year's classroom) and also the final All School Meeting to watch the 6th grade slideshow. After lunch we're off to the gauntlet before dismissal to send our 6th graders off the U-32.

This will be my final highlights of this school year since we have to be out of the building right after the kids on Wednesday! I want to thank you so much for a wonderful year. I've loved getting to know your children and seeing them grow all year.


Have a wonderful summer and see you in August! 

Thursday, June 11, 2015

A Few Photos From Our Dress Rehearsal!!!


Here are a few pictures taken during our morning dress rehearsal.

"Grouchy Groundhog"




"The Magic Closet"






"Late for Soccer"



"Hush, Puppy!"






"In the Flower Garden"



1/2 T Actors and Actresses!


Friday, June 5, 2015

Highlights of the Week 6-5-15

Hi families,

This week we've ecstatically practiced our plays. Next week we'll begin to practice on the stage in our room. Please send in clothes for costumes on Monday in a bag labelled with your child's name. We'll leave these in cubbies until we need them.

Tuesday morning (9:30-10:30) we'll be making props/headpieces/accessories. We also still need help with face painting before the plays on Thursday, from 12:30-1:30. Please let me know if you can help with either of these things!

This week we worked with Ms. Campbell to sketch out and paint scenery for our plays. It looks amazing and our class showed great cooperation.

We really hope you'll be able to come see our plays on Thursday the 11th from 1:30-2:15. (We will be starting promptly at 1:30 since we have to be done in time for the All School Meeting at 2:30.) If that time really doesn't work for you we do have a dress rehearsal that classes are attending from 10:45-11:15.


This week we also did more opinion writing, planted potatoes in the garden, observed changes in our control and variable plants in experiments, and read many plant themed books. On Friday afternoon we had a wonderful time together at Wrightsville Beach. 

On a separate note, teachers have been asked to begin packing in preparation for construction this summer. All classrooms must get emptied for the summer. We had a class meeting preparing kids to see the classroom look different every day with things coming down from the walls, books and materials being packed, and boxes piling up. The goal is to have just furniture and a few essentials (paper, markers, pencils, etc) in the rooms by the last day. I'm hoping to do the majority of the packing next Saturday, June 13th. If anyone has a spare hour or two and wants to help me pack, please stop by!

Important Dates:
Thursday June 11 - 1/2 T Plays  1:30-2:15
Thursday June 11 - All School Meeting 2:30-3:15
Friday June 12 - K-6 Field Day @ Wrightsville   9:30-3:30
Wednesday June 17 - Last Day of School - 1/2 day dismissal at 12:30
Wednesday June 17 - Step-Up Day (visiting your new classroom in the morning), The Last All School Meeting for the 6th Grade Slideshow, and the 6th grade gauntlet