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Newsletter
Have a wonderful Summer!
May 23, 2019
Dear Families,
It’s so hard for us to believe that this year is already at the end. We feel blessed to have been your child’s teachers. Thank you for all of your help, support and hard work through these last nine months. We will keep you and your children in our prayers!
We can’t stress enough the importance of continuing some kind of structured learning throughout the summer. We know that schedules get busy and it’s easy to forget, but we want to strongly encourage you to set aside some time each day from Mon.-Fri. to spend on learning activities. If you put learning on your priority list for the summer, your child will get the message that you think it is important, and you are your child’s first and best model! The benefit for both of you is that when your child begins school in the fall, he/she will have a greater sense of confidence and there’s a better chance of a smooth transition to 2nd grade.
“Summer Activities” doesn’t necessarily mean workbooks or writing the answers to numerous math facts. Here are a few ideas…….
*Include Math and Reading in your daily activities. Read cereal boxes, street signs, and advertisements. Anything in print! As you are driving around count red, blue or yellow cars. Have them keep tally marks of the color, make or model of certain cars. Let them make a graph of these findings. “Talk Math” as much as you can, adding, subtracting, classifying and counting, time and money.
*If you go on an outing or vacation, have your child write about it. They love to make books! Print out pictures and let them make a memory book!
*When you are at Mass have them follow along with the words to the songs and prayers in the hymnal.
*Sign up for the summer reading program at the local library. Many of the incentives are great fun for the whole family! The library also has many FREE activity classes for children. Be sure to read fiction AND non-fiction.
*Use dice and decks of cards to add and subtract-it is beneficial to have the facts to 12 memorized.
*Play “school” and YOU are the student sometime!
*Model writing for your child. Keep your own journal of summer activities. Write your own stories and have an “Author’s Night: where everyone shares what they’ve written, even the adults!
*TURN OFF THE ELECTRONICS!! Encourage your child’s creativity! You do not have to plan every minute for your child. Creative play with blocks, cars, dolls, stuffed animals, dress up clothes and other non-electronic toys promotes creativity, imagination and language.
*If your child has an idea that seems reasonable like a lemonade stand or fun house, expect him/her to follow through and do most of the work, but be the “guide on the side.” Projects such as this give a real world purpose for counting money, organization and responsibility. Money and telling time are skills that need to be reinforced. Once they are learned will, they are not easily forgotten.
*Be sure to read TO your child. They need to hear fluent reading. We hope you will continue to use the poetry book to help your child with reading fluency!
****Be sure to question your child about what he/she reads. This is essential!****
These are great for the car…….
>Read aloud a chapter book or take turns reading it.
>Have one person start a story, the next adds on..etc.
>Have your child add and subtract in their heads.
>Get a real paper map and have your child help navigate.
>Say the rosary when you go on a family trip. When you are in other cities, go to Mass. You give a wonderful gift to your child when they experience the universality of the Catholic faith!
Above all, have a safe, happy and restful summer. Thank you again for everything!
God Bless and Keep you all!
Miss Buttell
My name is Shannon Buttell. This is my 22nd year teaching at St. Pius X / St. Leo School. All of those years have been in first grade. I love seeing their personalities and excitement for reading and writing develop during the year. Outside of school I love reading and cheering on my favorite teams, the Creighton Bluejays and the Chicago Cubs!
