SEPTEMBER 2017                                                SPPS Pre-K

S               M              T               W             Th            F              S

S=snack V=volunteer					1	2
3	4 Labor Day	5 S- Liz N. V-	6 S- V-	7 S- V-	8 S- V-	9
10 Grandparent’s Day	11 S- Steph V- Steph	12 S- V-	13 S- Amanda V- Amanda	14 S- Jenn F. V- Tracy	15 S- Merissa V- Merissa	16
17	18 S- Liz D. V- Liz D.	19 S- V-	20 S- Tori V-	21 S- Abby V- Abby	22 S- Rose V- Fall Begins	23
24	25 S- V-	26 S- Jenn F. V-	27 S- Steph V- Steph	28 S- Tracy V- Tracy	29 S- Merissa V- Merissa	30

SEPTEMBER STUDIES   SEPTEMBER THEME   BIRTHDAYS

Circle, Red                            School Rules, Friends      none

1,2,3                                     Apples, Kindness    

Rr, Ss, Aa              

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER~

9/7   -   Back to School BBQ  5:30 p.m.

9/12  -   Pre-K Scholastic book orders due

9/14- 9/17  - Mt. Angel Oktoberfest

9/28  -   School Picture Day   

Welcome to a new school year!

I really enjoyed seeing my new and returning students on Supply Day! One reason I love that day is it gives us an opportunity to meet or reacquaint ourselves in an informal setting. I also have a chance to gauge their anticipation for school and I can honestly say I think we are all eager and looking forward to a great school year!

However, if your child is timid or fearful the first few days of school, assure them by a quick drop-off. I promise their tears typically only last until the parent is out of earshot. My feeling is there is no better way to convey and empower them in understanding that this is their class time, learning is fun, and school is a happy place.

We will have Scholastic Book orders every month with a due date for ordering. Books can be ordered by the parent directly online by using the classroom code GZX4H or you may submit your order and check to me. It takes a couple of weeks for the orders to arrive. Scholastic book clubs are a great way to instill a love of books and reading with your child. Plus, your book orders give us points to use in building our classroom library. That’s what I call a win-win!

We try to have outdoor recess whenever possible. Please send your child to school dressed for the weather. For example if it is cold outside and they didn’t bring a coat, they may spend their recess time inside. Rainy days or extremely cold/ hot days may also be spent as indoor recess in the classroom.

Snack time is almost always at 10:00 a.m. We also celebrate holiday parties and birthdays during snack time and may forego recess. If you plan on bringing a special treat for your child’s birthday please sign up for snack on that day to avoid confusion.

A ~revised~ daily schedule is as follows:

7:50  check in

8:00  school assembly/prayer

8:10  free time/warm-up activity

8:30  circle time

8:50  bathroom break

9:00  Rotations/Learning activities

9:55  story time/singing

10:00 Snack time/party time

10:30 recess (indoor or outdoor)

11:00 dismissal

Please let me know if you have questions or concerns. My email is- mphillips@saintpaulparochial.org and the telephone here at school is 503 633-4622. The classroom blog should be up and running as well so watch for that-

https://prekspps.blogspot.com/ It can also be accessed from the school website.

I anticipate great things this year and feel so honored and blessed to share it with you and your child!                                    

                                           Sincerely,

                                                              Mrs. Phillips

                                  OCTOBER 2015

                               Pre-K Halloween Party

                                       

                                                                   

                                            OCTOBER 2015

                               Field Trip to the St. Paul Fire Hall

We had so much fun with Fire Chief Bryan. He told us all about the trucks and various equipment they use to put out fires. We talked about ways to stay safe in case of a fire.

He showed us the ambulance.

He even gave us fire hats, activity books and stickers afterwards!

Thank you, Chief Bryan!

                  OCTOBER 2015

          Pumpkin Patch Field Trip

          E-Z Orchards

                                    Isaiah and Frank after the hay ride.

Choosing our pumpkins!

Austin and Stella found theirs!

Lining up for the Corn Maze.

Lots of Activities afterwards...

...including EATING DONUTS!

...and we had a fun ride home.

                                                           

PRE-K CLASSROOM

FALL 2015 

WELCOME BACK!

Landry builds a block tower during free-play.

Recess fun!

Rita practices on a tracing sheet during learning rotations.

FEBRUARY 2015

Mrs. Routon's 5th & 6th graders performed skits for the Pre-K classroom. 

We really enjoyed it!

Kalani and Isabelle sing while Lance and Garrett give visuals.

FEBRUARY 2015

We made and mailed Valentines to Mom and Dad. 

Austin writes, "I love you <3 Austin"

January 2015

Max painting his Penguin.

One of our January themes was Polar Animals. We dabbled in watercolor painting to make these works of art. One thing I like to do with the children is "following directions" in small groups. The designs are simple, and the children are basically mimicking what I do, step-by-step. I did, however, paint in the eyes and noses for them, exactly as they drew them.

Walruses, Penguins, Polar bears.

January 2015

Catholic School's Week was so fun! Our grandparents came to work on Valentine's for Doernbecher's patients with us. We also had a school parade. Pre-K led the way.

 Pre-K friends working on a puzzle together.

Snack time fun!

November 2014
We made these cute Thanksgiving Turkey centerpieces from pinecones and leaf shapes.

September Studies- Circles

I used an art project to practice circle cutting, as I have in the past. This year, we combined that with a "following directions" exercise over the span of four 15 minute sessions. We started with the background in cool colors, drawing the brush "top to bottom, top to bottom" repeated until a whole page was covered in blues, greens, violets. Next, we used warm colors to make swirls and waves over and over until that page was covered. The 3rd session involved cutting various sized circles from the sheet painted in warm colors. For some Pre-K students, this was their first time handling scissors, and was a perfect opportunity to discuss the correct way to hold scissors and give one-on-one instruction. Lastly, we glued parts together to make a collage of flowers that resemble a Hundertwasser painting. And even though they are all alike because it was a "following directions" exercise, they are also all individual, and I really like how they turned out.

WELCOME TO THE SPPS PRE-K CLASSROOM!

I'm really looking forward to the 2014-15 school year! We have some exciting activities planned. Mrs. McCarthy and I are honored to spend this time with your children, and we strive to make learning fun!

Be sure to check the monthly newsletter sent home with your child around the 1st of each month. Post it someplace you can easily check it, like the refrigerator or family bulletin board. Sometimes, (usually!) there is a Scholastic Book Club catalogue attached. Your newsletter will also tell you how to contact me should you have questions or concerns. Maybe you will need to double-check which day you signed up to either bring snack or volunteer. Also, get in the habit of going through your child's book bag or backpack nightly to make sure you aren't missing important events, deadlines, or other information.

Let's keep our communication open! I will need to know if someone other than you or an adult from the list you provided will be picking up your child. Please let me know by either sending a note with your child or telling me in person during drop-off. Should an emergency arise, call Mrs. Leitch at the front office to let her know. She will pass the info along to me. She can also help answer any questions you have about school functions and activities.

It's going to be a great year!
                                                                                           Sincerely,
                                                                                                            Mrs. Phillips

                                    2014 Polar Plunge for Special Olympics
                                                    March 1, 2014

Well, we did it. Thanks to the students at St Paul Parochial School, enough money was raised for the staff to take the plunge in the icy waters of the Columbia River this last weekend. It was C-O-L-D!!  All for a good cause, though, the Polar Plunge is a major fundraiser for Special Olympics Oregon.
Check out these pics-

 Mrs. Koch, Me, Miss Benson, Mrs. Merrill and Mikayla waiting near a "heater" before the plunge.

Here we are, taking the plunge! In my defense, I was already very cold before I got wet!

Mrs. Routon and I (and another plunger from another team).

                                  Mrs. Merrill is way too into it, it my opinion...!
                            Mr. Williams, Mrs. Merrill, Miss Benson, and Mrs. Montanez.

Afterwards, I couldn't feel my feet and couldn't wait to change out of my clothes.

Yay Team SPPS MUSTANGS!!

 Feb. 13, 2014

 

A spontaneous project in the month of February. We wanted to see what it would look like to form our collective bodies in the shape of a heart...

 

 

...and here it is!