Dear Parents,

We made it through our first week!  Yay!  How is your firstie doing at home?  Are they starting to get into somewhat of a routine?  If it is not happening quite yet, do not fear…it will take a little time, but it will happen!  Consistency is the key! 

Thank you for working on homework with your kiddo and sending it back to school!  We are starting to get into the first grade classroom routine too!  One of the things that we do as a part of our morning routine is spending a little time on the back carpet talking about the day of the week, the date, making a prediction of the weather for the day, and having prayer time.  Each firstie is given a chance to share a prayer request and then I pray for us.  At the end of our time at the back carpet, we give each other a blessing on each other’s hands and it is the sweetest thing!  Ask your firstie to give YOU a blessing too! 

"I bless you in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen."

For the first few weeks we will be doing a lot of reviewing but starting next week, we will have our first spelling and memory tests.  The calendar for the month is coming home today (it is pink) and the spelling words for next week are on the front and the memory is on the back.  If you want to get a jump on things over the weekend that would be awesome, but not required.  However, starting next week, firsties will need to study their spelling words and memory work at home.  Did you get the paper about Spelling City?  This is a free website for your firstie to practice their spelling words in a fun way. 

We have been practicing writing our letters!  Did your firstie tell you about Space Man?  Make sure to ask about him… ;) We also are reminding ourselves to NOT start our letters from the bottom line and to write from the top going down.  Please, please, please reinforce this at home the best you can.  The more they hear it, the better. 

Did your firstie tell you about what we have been reviewing in Religion class?  We have been talking about God’s beautiful creation and we drew pictures about some of the wonderful things that God created for us to enjoy. 

 Then I had the kids take a black crayon and scribble all over it!  You should have seen their faces (I even had one firstie start to get teary….)!  

 But once they did that we talked about how sin entered our world and messed up God’s perfect creation and how that made Him sad.  Then I reminded the kids that God had a plan and that He loves us!  One of my favorite Christian bands is a band named “Rend Collective” and they wrote a song that has to do with God’s plan and that NOTHING is impossible for God.  Even though we sin, even though we have hard things to deal with in our lives, we can rest assured that God is crazy in love with us and that nothing is IMPOSSIBLE for Him.  Take a listen below!  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EF84v-oOhp0 

Recess outside has been fun!  Yesterday there were DARK clouds, but it never poured (thank goodness!). 

 It was, though, I good reminder for me to remind you all to send in the extra clothes for your firstie, in case of an emergency.  Also, please double check our dress code!  Tank tops, “cold-shoulder” shirts, and super short shorts, are not permitted. 

Have a WONDERFUL long weekend!  Blessings! 

Miss Gallagher

Dear Firstie Parents,
Well....we made it!

 Our first day, done!  How did your firstie's day go?  What was their favorite part?

 After Chapel, we learned more about our classroom (we took a "tour"), we colored a worksheet (and had to follow the color instructions on the sheet), read two books ("The Monster at the End of this Book" (ask your firstie WHO the monster at the end of the book really way) and "My Teacher is a Monster" (I am not really...and neither was the teacher in the book.), and we did a little math review!

  Whew!  It was a good day! 

Just a few reminders....If you haven't sent in some extra clothes for your firstie to keep in their locker, please do so by the end of this week (It is so better to be over prepared, rather than under prepared.) Please help your firstie to start to get into the routine of bringing their backpack and folder home and then back to school each and every day and please check your kiddo's folder each and every day.

Tomorrow might be a little rough, since it is our first full day.  My guess is that your firstie might be pretty tired.  Getting a good night's sleep is a must!. :)

I will be sending home our finalized schedule, Church and Sunday School attendance slips, information about GoNoodle and Spelling City, AND a Scholastic Book Order, throughout the week, so please watch for all of it.  I know that is a lot of information, so please don't feel overwhelmed. 
Again, if you need to contact me, please send me a message through Fast Direct.  I check it several times a day!

Blessings on your evening and I am looking forward to our first FULL day of school tomorrow!
Miss Gallagher

Dear Parents,

I know, I know, I know….school is officially done!  But I wanted to send you one last blog!  I don’t know about your firstie, but I was SO tired over the weekend and needed the entire weekend to basically recover! LOL. 

First up, here are a few pictures of how the firsties chose to move their desks around our room for the day….SO INTERESTING!  There was no arguing and they really enjoyed where they ended up.  Some chose to sit close to others, some needed some space.  Avalyn chose to sit alone in the reading nook (which I honestly though was clever…ha!). 

When they brought in their electronics on Wednesday and we had about a half an hour of electronics time, I don’t think that I heard a peep!  It was SO QUIET!  (I will need to remember this for next year….hhmmm…….). Thank you for sending them in with your firstie! 

All in all, I would say that the Balloon Pop 2019 was a fun success!  

We also had 3rd grade come and read to us!  Each third grader wrote a story and illustrated it.  We spent about 30 minutes listening to stories...it was wonderful (for BOTH grades!). 

Field Day was also a lot of fun!  I was so busy, that I was only able to snap one picture this year!  I am so thankful for the warm weather and the beautiful sunshine that we were able to enjoy though……what a great day that God granted to us! 

Thank you for my gifts!  I appreciate them and ALL of you so much!  I thank you also for your communication and prayers throughout the year, and all of the hard work that you did with your firstie at home.  On to second grade......!

Blessings on your summer and I hope to see you either at church or around town!

Miss Gallagher

Dear Parents,

Happy weekend……already!  I pray that you have a good one!

I just wanted to share a few pictures from our first and second “Balloon Pop” activities.   

The firsties have been enjoying them so far and for Monday, our “Balloon Pop” activity will be a movie and popcorn (made by me and my air popper).  If you don’t want your kiddo to have the popcorn that I make, please send in your own.  Thanks!

Here is a picture of my new puppy, Stella! 

We also gpt a new friend for Fiona, and we named her, Alice! 

Did you read the newsletter that was sent home via FD? In it, there was a schedule for our last week (WHAT?!?!?! AHHHHH!!!)! Please check it out if you haven’t read it yet.

Have a wonderful weekend! 

Miss Gallagher