Kinder News #8 March 15th,2026

 Kinder News: 

Another couple of great weeks in kindergarten.  The playground is very muddy.  I suggest boots and rain pants.  The kids all came back from vacation eager to learn and work with their friends.  We have caregiver conferences this week.  Thank you for scheduling an appointment.  There are still plenty of spots left.

Important Dates:

March 20, March 19, Early Release Day

Friday, March 20: No School, Teacher/Caregiver Conferences  - NO SCHOOL

Conference Meeting Link

Tuesday, March 24th, ECO Harrison Field -Please check the weather 

April 20-24 Spring Vacation -No School

Literacy Snapshot:

Digraph Combinations with h - th, sh, ch, wh, also -ck at the end of a word

The different jobs of e (end of the word -like, holds up the V -have, short sound, and long sound.

When do we use -wh

CVC Word Families

CVCe words (kite)

When to use c (o, a, u)  or k (i, e)

Reviewed all sight words (added -are, you)

Writing Journals -March Topics (spring, senses, the sky)

Some Books We Read:

Vermont Animal Books  (non-fiction animal books)

Leroy Ninker Saddles Up

Mercy Watson fights Crime

A Bug and A Wish

Math Snapshot:

Addition/Subtraction

Expressions and Equations (writing story problems)

Making 10

Decomposition of Numbers/breaking numbers apart (Number Families) up to 10

Comparing numbers (greater than, less than, same)

Counting to 100

Number formation

Number Order

Science/SS Snapshot:

-SEL Lesson focused on a bug and a wish: How to talk to friends

-Looking at Nonfiction books

-Writing our Animal Reports

-How do animals survive

-Animals in the snow layers

-Fourth Grade Buddies

-Flower Shop in the classroom

Questions to Ask your Kinder:

What is your favorite way to make 10?  

How do you spell the sight words you and are?

Practice spelling your last name.

How can you tell the difference between b and d?

What are some of the letter e’s jobs?

What does it mean, “A bug and a wish?”

When do we use the digraph -wh?

Have a great week!

Kinder News #7 January 11, 2026

 

🌟 Kinder News 🌟

We had a wonderful last week together in December and the first week of January! Kindergarten students have been working hard on their Lip Sync Battle song. I purchased matching t-shirts, light-up pool noodles, and glitter hair for everyone. The cost was $9.00 per student—donations are appreciated but not required.

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🎤 Lip Sync Battle Details

📅 Friday, January 23
📍 Montpelier High School
⏰ Arrival: 5:00 PM | Show: 5:30 PM

• I will provide shirts, hair, and noodles

• Wear: Dark bottoms (black or blue) & comfortable shoes (no boots)

• Event is free to attend

• Snacks served after the first act at 6:30 PM

• Students will sit with me until our turn

• At 6:30 PM, students may join families

• Families may leave at 6:30 PM or stay for the second act

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📅 Important Dates

• Mon, Jan 19: No School (MLK Day)

• Fri, Jan 23: Lip Sync Battle – 5:00 PM

• Mon, Jan 29: Early Release Day

• Next ECO: February (TBD)

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📚 Literacy Snapshot

• Digraphs: sh, wh, ck, th

• Letter formation (lowercase)

• Long & short vowel sounds

• Syllables & rhyming

• Blending CVC words (bat, mat, sat, lid, pop)

• Heart Words: A, I, the, see, we, he, she, me, be, one, what

• Writing letters, words, and sentences

• Reading CVC books

Books We’ve Enjoyed:
Mercy Watson Is Missing, Maddie’s Fridge, Memoirs of an Elf, and many Gingerbread stories!

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🔢 Math Snapshot

• Counting to 100

• Writing numbers to 20

• Base-10 blocks (counting by 10s & teen numbers)

• Before & after numbers

• Shapes & positional words

• Adding, subtracting & subitizing

• Dreidel game & “Would You Rather?”

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🔬 Science & Social Studies

• Gingerbread activities & cookie decorating with 4th-grade buddies

• Candy house building (science!)

• Celebrations around the world

• Penguins & animal survival

• Weather & winter

• Pretend hot chocolate stand

• Making gifts & writing cards

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💬 Questions to Ask Your Kindergartener

• What is the middle sound in: rug, dash, that, shock, chess?

• What is happening in the new Mercy Watson book?

• Did you like the taste of gingerbread?

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🎉 Family Fun Idea:
Check out a Montpelier High School basketball game—it feels like a professional game to UES students!

Kinder News #6 December 10th, 2025

 

🌟 Kinder News – December / January Update 🌟

Hello families!
Our kindergarteners are doing a fantastic job and making excellent progress every day. Thank you for your continued support!

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🎤 Save the Date: Lip Sync Battle!

We are excited to invite our class to participate in this year’s Lip Sync Battle!
We will learn a fun song and dance together at school.

📅 Show Date: January 23rd Arrival 5:00 show at 5:30 (at Montpelier High School)
📧 Please email me with any questions and to let me know if your child can participate.
🎭 Please consider donating an Amazon gift card to help us purchase costumes.

More details coming soon!

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📅 Important Dates

December

• Mon, Dec 8–22: Winter Celebrations Study
  
  

• Wed, Dec 17: 67th Day of School Celebration
  
  

• Thu, Dec 18: Wise Owl Day! Wear green + school spirit items.
  
  

• Fri, Dec 19: Gingerbread Unit – Wear your favorite color
  
  

• Mon, Dec 22: Winter Solstice – Day in the Dark (wear dark clothes)
  
  

• Tue, Dec 23: Early Dismissal – Hot chocolate + short movie
  
  

January

• Fri, Jan 23: Lip Sync Battle Performance (we will participate as a class)
  
  

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🌑 Day in the Dark – Monday, Dec 22

Kindergarten will celebrate the Winter Solstice with a special “Day in the Dark.”
We’ll explore day/night and the longest night of the year.
I purchased flashlights for every child—so we are all set!

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📚 Literacy Snapshot

• Letter/sound focus: SH (as in ship)
  
  

• Blending CVC words (bat, mat, sat, lid, pop…)
  
  

• Heart Words: a, I, the, me, he, we, see, she, be, no, go, so, is, my, to, do
  
  

• Reading playful make-believe words (gud, tut, miz)
  
  

• Segmenting and blending sounds
  
  

• Listening for ending sounds
  
  

• Renaissance Star Early Literacy Assessment: Everyone did fantastic!

Books We’ve Enjoyed

• Mercy Watson
  
  

• The Ninjabread Man
  
  

• The Gingerbread Bear
  
  

• Stone Soup
  
  

• The Gingerbread Girl Goes Animal Crackers
  
  

• ’Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving
  
  

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🔢 Math Snapshot

• Counting to 100 and beyond
  
  

• Counting starting from different numbers
  
  

• Counting by 10s
  
  

• Describing shapes
  
  

• Number formation
  
  

• Adding with ECO the Owl
  
  

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🔬 Science & Social Studies Snapshot

• Turkey science, puppets, and art
  
  

• Thankful Books (ask your child to read theirs to you!)
  
  

• Family Traditions & Celebrations: Diwali, Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, Chinese New Year, Winter Solstice
  
  

• How light is used around the world
  
  

• How animals stay safe in winter (bears, hibernation)
  
  

• Penguins
  
  

• Star painting art project
  
  

• Fourth Grade Buddies
  
  

• SEL: Reviewing expectations after vacation
  
  

• Pretend Hot Chocolate Stand
  
  

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💬 Questions to Ask Your Kinder

• What sound does sh make?
  
  

• What letter always goes with q?
  
  

• How were the gingerbread stories alike? How were they different?
  
  

• What family traditions do we celebrate?
  
  

• How do animals stay safe in the winter? How do bears get ready?
  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  

  
  

  

  
  

  

  
  

  

  
  

  

  
  

  

  
  

  

  
  

  

  
  

  

  
  
  
  

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