Dear Parents,

Happy snowy Wednesday! Please know that we are always praying for you, your safety, and to have a good day. 

As our school year progresses, I have noticed that some firsties are getting to school later and later.  Please have them here as close to 7:45am as you can.  It is so important that each kiddo has time to prepare for their day (sharpening pencils, turning in homework, using the restroom, filling up their water bottle, etc…) and also have time to talk to their friends and mentally get ready for their day.  Thank you for your help with this!  

Tomorrow is our 100^th day of school!  It seems kind of hard to believe!  I am so proud of how far this class has come and am excited to see what they will learn and accomplish in the 2^nd half of the school year. ***Reminder! Please have your firstie bring in 100 of 1 item.  This item should not be overly fragile and please, please, please do not go out and buy something.  It should be something that you have in your house.  A few examples that have been brought in, in the past are: Legos, cotton balls, q-tips, pennies, pencils, etc…  If you have any questions, don’t be afraid to ask or message me! 

Also, students may wear clothes tomorrow that “age” them.  If they want to dress up to look like 100 years old, they can!  Please do not dye their hair white (A wig would be okay!) or send them in with makeup on.  They should only dress up if they are going to participate. 

Take Home Story bags are coming home today (I know that it is unusual, but because of the snow day and all of the new stuff that came home yesterday, I didn’t want anyone to get overwhelmed.) and need them to be returned on Monday.  Please continue to have your firstie read each story a couple times throughout the time that they have the books.  

Yesterday the firsties had a surprise waiting for them on their desks!  Did your firstie tell you?  I made them each a “Love Bug” that they can keep on their desk until we celebrate Valentine’s Day (next Friday).  Each “Love Bug” is different and unique….just like each firstie!  

I have been allowing them to work in groups and pairs more often, and that has been interesting  observe.  We continue to use our “flexible thinking” and employ our “Super Flex” brains while we are here at school.  We also try really hard to not let any of the “Unthinkables” get in the way of being the best firstie that we can be!  We will finish next week with our Math test and any make-up tests that we need to take.  

Just a reminder that our practice spelling test will be TOMORROW, so please help your firstie study! Thank you!

Practicing putting our spelling words in ABC order.

Speaking of testing, we did our first round (well, the winter term) of NWEA testing today!  I will send home scores at the end of next week.  Please watch for them!

Blessings on your evening!

In God’s great and very powerful love,

Miss Gallagher

Dear Parents,

Happy Thursday!  We had a visitor from Valley Lutheran High School that presented Chapel for us yesterday…did your firstie tell you? Mr. Kyle DeWees came and spoke to us about Groundhog Day and about shadows.  Where do we have to look to see our shadow?  We have to look down to see that darkness….and God doesn’t want us to do that!  God wants us to look up to Him to see light and His love.  Mr. DeWees also shared the account of Jesus and the disciples in a boat.  In this account, Jesus and his disciples were in a small boat and they were crossing a lake.  Jesus was sleeping because He was very tired.  A storm came up suddenly and the disciples were very afraid.  Jesus woke up and stopped the storm, simply stating “Peace.  Be still.”.  Not only did Jesus show How powerful He is (He has power over the wind and the water), but He also showed the disciples that when they looked to Him, rather than at the storm, that He was in control.  That is truth, though difficult to understand sometimes (A LOT of times), is something that we can cling to….God is powerful, and FULL of LOVE. 

So, we shall see if Phil sees his shadow tomorrow.  I really hope not, but I have a feeling that winter is not done yet. 

Did you get your Valentine’s Day folder?  Hopefully, the directions made sense. As soon as your write the message, please put it back in the folder, and send it back in with your firstie. We will “reveal” your message on Friday, February 16^th. 

Valentine’s Day Bowling field trip forms are due tomorrow.  If you haven’t turned it in yet, please do so!  Thank you! I will be sending home our class list next week, so that if your firstie wants to address valentines for everyone in our class, the names will be spelled correctly.  We aren’t really having a Valentine’s Day party, but we will do our valentines exchange in the morning before we go bowling.  If you want to send in a treat for the all of the firsties to snack on while we are at the bowling alley, that is totally fine, but not required. 

We DIDN’T get to really reviewing for our Social Studies test tomorrow, so I am postponing it until Monday.  The firsties will bring their books home to review over the weekend. 

Now that it is February (ummmm……WHAT?!?!?), don’t forget to send in your kiddo’s January BOOK IT calendar.  Remember that the goal is to read 20 minutes, 5 times a week.  The February BOOK IT calendar is in your firstie’s folder (at least it should be). 

Memory test tomorrow (3^rd and 4^th commandments) and spelling test (long o). 

Blessings on your evening!

Miss Gallagher