Ms. Waterfall

Update On Me

Hello!  I wanted to update you all on my progress since my back surgery.  First of all, let me say I have missed being with my children very much, but I am hearing WONDERFUL things from Ms. Barlow about their progress!  The cards and letters they sent me were so adorable and really touched my heart.

I am now at about 2 months or 8 weeks post-op.  I saw the surgeon last Thursday for my 3rd scheduled post-op visit.  He gave me permission to return to some light exercising, but had to remind me that I am expecting and wanting too much too soon in terms of recuperation.  In his words, "Even professional athletes who are in top-notch physical form take SIX weeks to recover from this surgery!"   My hope is to return to work sometime in December. 

I appreciate your e-mails and your good thoughts for my recovery that you have sent my way!  I am looking forward to being with you all again soon!   Until then, I will ask Ms. Barlow to post some messages here conerning the class.

Again, thank you for your support!

News and Reminders

The students did a GREAT job on their "Black Lagoon" books!  I LOVE their creativity they are expressing in both the books and the Georgia posters.  They seemed to really enjoy doing this assignment.

I'd like to remind you of several upcoming events:

---Fundraisers were due today, Sept.12.  However, PTSA will still be accepting them on next Monday and Tuesday.

---Tuesday, Sept. 16 is Early Release Day.  It is also "unlimited AR day."  The children will be able to read and test on as many AR books as they like.  Because of this, we will have a DEAR day, where we will read all day.  Your child may wear his/her pajamas and bring a pillow, blanket, and a small stuffed animal to school.

---Friday, Sept. 19 is the Kennesaw 100 Year Celebration.  For more information, go to www.kennesawptsa.org.

---If you have not done so, please join PTSA!!!  We would love to have 100% participation for our 100th year!

---Don't forget to send in your boxtops!  This is a very easy way for our school to earn money.  I am also very competitive and like for my class to win every contest the school has, including this one!

---If you have not sent in your child's permission slip to be photographed, please do so as soon as possible.  We must have that in order to include his/her picture in the yearbook.

I would also like to remind you that my medical leave begins on September 16.  I will greatly miss being with my wonderful class, but I know they will be in good hands with Ms. Barlow.  Sve he was the best student teacher I have ever had (and I''ve had quite a few of them) and she will care for them like I would.  They will learn a lot with her.  I will continue to be in touch with you via this site and e-mail.  I will also allow Ms. Barlow access to this site to update you on classroom/school events as well.

Keep reading with your child!  It's the best way to help him or her!

Welcome!

I would like to take this opportunity to give you all a great big welcome to second grade!  I am very much looking forward to this year and working with you and your children.  Please go to the "About Me" section I tpreviously posted to read more about me.  Also, check back here often, as I will place important news and events (as well as some probably not-so-important stuff) here.   

Several of you have asked about lunch and specials times.  They are as follows:

Lunch--10:34 AM to 11:04 AM

Specials:  11:30 AM to 12:10 AM

I wanted to let you all know that I have registered our class in a program called "Adopt A Classroom."   It is a site which matches up donors to classrooms who would like donations for special projects.  Here is the link if you would like to take a look:

a href='http://adoptaclassroom.org/adoption/Locator_Adopt_Donate.aspx?ClassroomID=70388&schoolID=78236' target=_blank ><img src='http://Adoptaclassroom.org/images/logo-for-teacher-desktop.gif' border=0></a>

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****** Don't forget!  Our Open House will be held on Thursday, August 28.  A PTSA meeting will be held at 7:00 pm, followed by Open House at 7:30*******************

Important upcoming dates to remember

I can hardly believe the end of the year is so close! This last month of school is extremely busy, so I wanted to remind you of a few important upcoming events:

Monday, May 5:  Field trip to the Japanese restaurant.  The children will wear their kimonos they made with Ms. Barlow.  This is also the day of opening ceremonies for field day.  Please send a towel in with your child for him/her to sit on during the ceremonies.

Tuesday, May 6:  Field trip to Big Shanty

Wednesday, May 7: Field trip to visit our pen pals at Mableton Elementary.  Please have your child wear his/her Kennesaw Second Grade t-shirt.

Thursday, May 8: Second grade field day.  Please have your child wear the appropriate color t-shirt for their team. 

Friday, Mary 9: Last Relay for Life Hat/Tootsie Pop Day

Monday, May 12: Costumes for plays due at school

Thursday, May 15 & Friday, May 16: Play performances (more to come on that!)

Tuesday, May 20: AR celebration (more to come on this also)

Friday, May 23: Last day of school!

CRCT

Well, it is almost here....the time we've been both anxiously awaiting and dreading at the same time!  CRCT time!  In class, we have been doing practice tests as a class and discussing ways to make the best choices between answers, checking our work, looking for clues, and other good test-taking strategies.  I have been explaining to the children that I think they have done a fabulous job of learning  a lot this year and I honestly feel they are ready to take the test.  I have been stressing the importance of the test, but I have also told them that they will do a great job on the test if they do the following (with which you can help them):

1. Believe in themselves and their ability!

2. Remember they probably won't know EVERY answer and it is not necessary to be perfect!  Don't let one or two questions they don't really know upset them.

3. Concentrate and focus!

4. Get a good night's sleep by going to bed early the nights before the test.

5. Eat a good breakfast on the days of the test, either at home or here at school.

6. Be on time for school---testing will begin promptly at 8:00 A.M.  If they come in late, they will probably have to take the test with someone other than me.

7. Relax!  Do fun, enjoyable things during the rest of the day/evening during testing.

I appreciate your help in reinforcing these ideas with your children.

Snack Update!

Just a reminder for those who have signed up to send in snacks for the rest of the year.  We do have one “open” week and we will need EXTRA snacks for CRCT days, so if you have not sent in anything this year, this would be a great time to do so!

**We especially need POPCORN for Fridays**

*****Also, we are totally out of paper plates!*****

April 16: Mrs. Tallis

April 21: Open

April 28: Mrs. McGovern

May 5: Mrs. Graves

May 12: Mrs. Boughton

May 19: Mrs. Swanigan

Relay for Life

Hat and Tootsie Pop Days:  March 28, April 4 and 18, May 2 and 9:  We will sell hat stickers, pencils, and tootsie pops for $.50 each in the mornings.

Sticker Relas: March 31- April 4:  Students will be able to buy stickers for $.25 each.  These stickers will go on charts outside classroom doors.  The top class in each grade level will win an ice cream party.  The 2nd place class will win a Popsicle party. I WANT TO WIN this contest!  No, I'm not competitive at all!!!  I have promised the students an "extra" reward if we win!! 

Luminaries are $10.00 each and feet are $1.00 each:  April 28-May 9:  Luminaries will be lit at the event.  Feet will be displayed at Kennesaw E.S.

Hat and Tootsie Pop Days:  March 28, April 4 and 18, May 2 and 9:  We will sell hat stickers, pencils, and tootsie pops for $.50 each in the mornings.

Sticker Relas: March 31- April 4:  Students will be able to buy stickers for $.25 each.  These stickers will go on charts outside classroom doors.  The top class in each grade level will win an ice cream party.  The 2nd place class will win a Popsicle party. I WANT TO WIN this contest!  No, I'm not competitive at all!!!  I have promised the students an "extra" reward if we win!! 

Luminaries are $10.00 each and feet are $1.00 each:  April 28-May 9:  Luminaries will be lit at the event.  Feet will be displayed at Kennesaw E.S.

Field Trips

Don't forget our upcoming field trips!  I would greatly appreciate it if you could send in your child's permission slips and money as soon as possible.  We are very much looking forward to all of the field trips, but especially so the one to visit our pen pals at Mableton Elementary.  The children have talked about this ever since they came to visit us.  Mrs. Nason and Ms. Owshanik say the pen pals are anxiously awaiting our visit as well.

Field Trip Dates:

Monday, April 28---Cici's Pizza

Monday, May 5---Japanese restaurant

Wednesday, May 7---Mableton Elementary

Snacks

Because so many of you sent in "extra" snacks, we have had plenty to last through last week, when there was no one signed up.  However, we are literally scraping snacks together this week, as we don't have a full package of anything!  If anyone could possibly send in snack for a day or two (we esp. need popcorn for Fridays), it would be greatly appreciated! 

Thank you!

I would like to say thank you to all for the lovely flowers and the Red Lobster gift card the class gave me for my birthday.  The flowers are STILL alive and adorning my desk nicely.  I'm looking forward to using the gift card at my favorite restaurant!  Thank you again for your thoughtfulness!