Quick Update

Hi everyone! Hope we have all recovered from another awesome Olympic Day!  What a fun time! Great weather, great healthy activities, tons of parent volunteers, and, of course, the best kids in town!  Thank you to everyone who was able to help out in some way- everyone's contributions, whether it is time, money, food, or expertise, helped to make it a great day!

This week is our final "normal" week of school- I can't believe it!!! We didn't have our Spelling Review test this last week, but it has been moved to this Thursday, so continue to review those tough words!  We will also have a Science test on Wednesday.  

Speaking of Thursday and Wednesday... our 8th Grade Paraliturgy takes place this Thursday and all are welcome!  It will take place in the Church at 1:15.  Our only dress rehearsal will be this Wednesday at 1:30, so we're hoping every Firsty will be there at both the dress rehearsal and Paraliturgy.  If your child has a cowboy hat to help with our western look, please send it to school this Wednesday.  The kids will be decorating their paper bag "vests" this week.  

This Friday evening at 6pm is the 8th Grade graduation.  I will be there to wish our 8th graders congratulations, and I am sure I will see some Firsty siblings there, too.  Please keep them in your prayers as they transition to High School!

We will have our last Tuesday mass this week- please try to remember to send your child to school in pants (for boys) on Mass Days.  Our last mass of the year will be the last day of school- June 14th.

Our final project in English class was to write a short paragraph about our year in First Grade.  The kids have worked hard on planning their writing by first brainstorming things we've learned in First Grade using an ABC  worksheet- the Firsties buddied up and wrote down one, two, or more things that start with each letter of the alphabet.  They came up with some great lessons they've learned!  Then, using an organization chart (more of a word web),  the kids planned their five sentences.  Finally, they copied their work down onto lined paper using their neatest printing.   The process went very smoothly, and it just confirmed how much these kids have learned this year!  I am so proud of them!

Our final reading lesson this year involves Reader's Theater.  The kids have been placed into seven groups and they are starting to rehearse their parts for the short play The Tug of War- which comes from an African folktale about a small possum that tricks two larger animals into thinking he is stronger than he looks.  We have been using class time to rehearse our lines.  During Reader's Theater, the "actors"do not memorize their lines- they simply practice for fluency and expression.  They hold their parts in front of them during the play, so they don't have to worry about forgetting a line.  They do have to worry about losing their spot, so this activity helps kids focus on what's going on around them.  Depending on how many rehearsals we are able to squeeze in this week, the kids may "perform" their play either this Friday or next week.  While I know parents would love to see their Firsty perform, we keep this a "kids only" event so that no one's nerves get the best of them.  I am sure your child will be happy to perform some of their lines for you at home! Maybe this Reader's Theater will encourage some of our students to participate in Drama next year!  

On a summer note, if you haven't thought about your summer plans yet (ha, ha, ha), please consider a little summer brainwork by enrolling your child in a week or two of our summer enrichment program!  I will be holding two weeks of enrichment- this includes First Grade readiness and Second Grade readiness.  Nothing too serious- just some summer learning fun! This is not something that should be misconstrued for tutoring- if your child needs summer tutoring, please look for something longer than just two weeks.    

Well, that's going to be it for me right now... can't believe how fast this year has gone by! 

If you have any questions about our end-of-the-year party, our top secret Father's Day project, etc, please feel free to email me!  

Take care, and enjoy the beautiful weather!

~Ms. Hudson