Happy Fall!

 Celebration!

The classroom has been buzzing with excitement!  We have been working on learning, practicing, and mastering the art of reading to self and reading with a partner.  The students have been working to become independent during the Daily 5 literacy block.  This next week we will begin the Daily 5 morning routine of Reading to Self, Reading with a Partner, Writing, Listening, and Word Work.  

Volunteers

Volunteers will begin working in the classroom next Monday, October 1st.  Thank you again for your generous gift of time. The schedule will go home this coming Thursday, September 27th.

This week we read a very moving book about the love and power of reading and writing.   The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore, by William Joyce was a great demonstration of love, loss and healing through the magic and mystery of books.  The students loved it!  There is also a short partner film (Academy Award-winning) available for download on itunes.  We showed the film in class, and the students have been begging to watch it again and again.  If you are a book-lover, we encourage you to download it to watch and discuss with your child.    We hope you love it as much as we do . . . in fact, it is now the Manatee Class favorite book (and film)!

Reminder:
This week is Open House:  Thursday, September 27th, 6:30 - 8:00 - See you there!

Whole-Body Listening Larry at School


We have been reading a book about how to be a good listener at school. Listening Larry has taught us how to listen with watching eyes, quiet mouths, still feet, listening ears, hands in lap, bodies facing the speaker, thinking brains, and caring hearts (empathy).

Students helped create a chart that reminds them to be good listeners with their whole body. You can learn more about the program and the book, here at Social Thinking.com.

Thank You to all who volunteered their time to help out in the classroom this year.  We are in the process of fine-tuning the schedule, which will go home next Thursday.  Volunteering will begin the week of October 1st.  We appreciate all of you!

Open House is on Thursday, September 27, 6:30 - 8:00. 

Save the date!





Welcome 1st and 2nd Graders!

Welcome to the Multiage Manatee Class!

Welcome back to the Blue Group (2nd Graders) and welcome to the Red Group (1st Graders)! We are excited to be back at school!

The first four days of school have been focused on learning classroom procedures and creating classroom rules. The Golden Rule is our overarching philosophy in the classroom. (Treat others as you want to be treated). You may hear your child talk about the Golden Rule and how important it is in school and life. We have also read Do Unto Otters: A Book About Manners, by Lauri Keller and Personal Space Camp, by Julia Cook.
Our specialist calendar:
Monday Red Group - Art,  Blue Group - Science
Tuesday Red Group - Music, Blue Group - Art
Wednesday Red Group - Science/PE, Blue Group - Music
Thursday Red Group - Science, Blue Group - PE
Friday Red Group - no specialist, Blue Group - Science

Our library day is Friday. 

Thank you to those of you that have turned in the Student Information and Parent Volunteer Sign-Up forms. We appreciate your prompt attention to these valuable forms that help us get organized at the beginning of the year. We will be posting our volunteer schedule and class directory very soon.

WATER BOTTLES!

Feel free to send water bottles in with your child to use at school. We ask that the bottles be "easy-snap" closures to prevent spills. The convenience of water bottles gives your child more opporunity to hydrate and avoid the long lines at our two water fountains.
Please send in your child's favorite book to share with the class soon.  They will be sharing them with the class this week.  Thanks!

Meet Your Teachers

Mrs. Perine

I love dogs, reading, gardening, traveling, hiking and running (most days). My favorite foods are vegetables. I especially like eggplant and avocados. However, late at night I have been known to sneak dark chocolate. I live in Gig Harbor with my husband Drew, and a big furry dog named Xena who is fourteen years old. My eighteen-year old son, Zach is a freshman at Syracuse University.  One of my favorite authors is William Joyce.  I am one of those people who always wanted to be a teacher. I used to make my sisters play school in our basement growing up.

I’m happy I get to really teach 1st and 2nd grade every day.

Mrs. Angus

I love spending time with my best friend  and husband, Fred.  We live in Vaughn Bay.  I have an amazing 27 year-old son, Eddie, who is a social worker.  My hobbies are reading, bird-watching, blogging, and playing with my two comical chihuahuas, Pebbles and Bam Bam.  If I could eat only one food, I would choose ice cream.  My favorite book is "The Giving Tree," by Shel Silverstein.  It's a great story about unconditional love.  My favorite animals are dogs, but I also adore squirrels. 

Teaching first- and second-grade at Purdy Elementary with Mrs. Perine is my passion in life.

Our Education:

Mrs. Perine earned her Master’s Degree in Education at Seattle University in 1996. Mrs. Angus received her Master’s Degree in Education at Western Washington University in 2005.

We are both National Board Certified teachers, which we accomplished together in 2010. Cumulatively, we have 24 years of teaching experience.