Happy New Year!! I hope you had a happy and restful holiday. I would like to thank you for all the wonderful classroom supplies. We received four I Spy books, pencils, erasers, markers, crayons, pencil sharpener, construction paper, glue sticks, index cards, dry erase markers, post-it notes, highlighters, mechanical pencils, colored pencils and lots of storage bags. Thank you all so much!!!

Today we went to the Onekama Public Library. Your child was able to check out three books. They are due on Thursday, January 26^th.

Next week first grade will begin a new reading unit called "Sharing Time." It includes stories called The Doorbell Rang, The Little Red Hen and Flower Garden. Also poems such as "My Mami Takes Me to the Bakery," "Together" and "Flowers." On the reverse of this sheet are the new vocabulary words for this unit. Please take time to review these words with your child. Over the next few weeks, you will see four books come home: I Like Cats, A Big Help, Great Frogs! and In the Cow’s Backyard. These books will include the new vocabulary words.

Tomorrow we will complete our second magazine test. You’ll receive your child’s magazine test in January’s report card.

Enclosed are the Good Behavior Ski Forms. We are going to Crystal Mountain on Wednesday, February 1^st. The forms need to be completed and returned by Thursday, January 12^th.

The following dates you may want to add to your calendar:

• January 6 — Buddy Reading with Mrs. Brown’s class
• January 12 — Good Behavior Day ski forms due
• January 13 - Teacher In-service (No School)
• January 19 — Report Cards Sent Home
• January 26 — Onekama Public Library field trip
• February 1 - Good Behavior Ski Day
• February 17 — Teacher In-service (No School)
• February 20 — Winter Break ( No School)
• April 3 - 7 — Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS)

Warmly,

Shantel
snieders@manistee.org