May Newsletter

Dear Families,

We planted sunflower seeds in April while learning about plant needs, parts of plants, and the plant life cycle.    This experience will come to life as we watch our plants grow. At the beginning of this month, we will receive a special package…caterpillars! Our science focus this month will be the butterfly life cycle as we observe our caterpillars eat, grow, form a chrysalis, and emerge as Painted Lady Butterflies. We will observe our butterflies drink from their long proboscis and learn about how they taste with their feet. We will use a Venn diagram to compare butterflies to moths as well.

On Friday, May 3^rd we have the opportunity to see students in our school shine by presenting their artistic and musical talents.  Please join us at 6pm and invite others who would like to tour the school, meet the teachers, and see what Bethany offers.

The Bulldog Race is almost here! Our K3 class will have school on Friday, May 17^th to join in the action. Parents and grandparents are invited to join us for this fun family day. Students will come to the classroom at the start of the school day, then we will all go to the gym for devotions at 8:30. I will have a student sign out sheet with me to keep track of which children are spending time with their family for the day and those I am responsible for during the day.  After devotions, you or a grandparent can sign out your child and join the festivities. If you cannot attend on race day, I will keep your child with me for the day.  We have a Staycation Basket that will be auctioned off on race day. Thank you to all who sent in items for the basket!

There is no school on Tuesday, May 21^st.  This is an in-service day for staff.

On Thursday, May 30^th we have decade spirit day. In which decade will each student land? It will be fun to see!

In Bible class this month, we will finish learning about the parables Jesus used in his teaching. Afterward, we will pick up our study of Exodus in the Old Testament. Our last lesson in Exodus was when Moses received the Ten Commandments.  Our first verse this month is Psalm 119:11 “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not in against you.” Our verse quiz is on May 9^th. Please return the journal on the 9^th.

It is amazing to see all of the growth and learning that has happened this year in kindergarten. We will continue to work through our readers and strengthen our reading fluency. Our class continues to growing in our writing skills. We will be writing about our caterpillar and butterfly observations this month.

This month, we will continue to identify and describe two and three dimensional shapes; then we will spend time analyzing, comparing and creating shapes. During this study, we will have the opportunity to strengthen our spatial reasoning skills. A variety of manipulatives will be used during this study.  To extend learning at home, have your child explore with pattern blocks, tangrams, or attribute blocks if they are available.

Blessings,

Mrs. Daisey Ingiosi

April Newsletter

Dear Families,

What a nice surprise to have so many lamb days in the month of March! This month we will continue to study our spring season while concentrating on the life cycle of plants.

We will visit the Quarryville Home on Thursday, April 11^th to sing songs and tell the story of Easter using our Resurrection Eggs.  A field trip permission slip will be sent home the first week of April. Students will bring home their eggs before Easter and can use them to tell what Jesus has done for us with friends and family.

There will be no school on Thursday, April 18^th (closed until Tuesday 4/23).

On Thursday, April 25^th we have Cape spirit day. You don’t have to buy a super hero cape; have fun with your child creating a cape that shows their strengths and interests.  What is their super kindergarten power? 

The Bulldog Race is coming next month! Our K3 class will have school on May 17^th to join in the action on race day. We have started collecting items for our Staycation Basket to be auctioned off on race day. Would you consider sending in items for our basket? Suggestions for our basket: gift cards to local shops and restaurants, puzzles, games, movie gift card and popcorn, and craft kits. Basket items are due by April 29^th.

In Bible class this month, we will finish learning about the Easter story and then wrap up the month studying the parables Jesus used in his teaching. Our verse John 11:25-26 is due on April 4^th. The new verse assigned on this date will be Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” Our verse quiz is on April 25^th. Please return the journal on the 25^th.

I am amazed at the reading and writing development happening in kindergarten!  All students have shown a great deal of growth in both areas. Here is a picture of our latest class bulletin board. Each student thought about some of the skills they have learned this year and wrote about them in the center of a flower. The petals of the flower were made by tracing, cutting, and watercolor painting student hands.

In math, we will continue to explore place value. After Easter break, we will begin to identify and describe two and three dimensional shapes. During this topic, we will have the opportunity to strengthen our spatial reasoning skills.

Blessings,

Mrs. Daisey Ingiosi

March Newsletter

Dear Families,

We will spend time observing how March weather can come in like a lion and go out like a lamb. In addition, we will start to learn about our spring season.

We will have a snow make up day on Thursday, March 7^th. There is NO hot lunch on this day. The night of the 7^th is the eighth grade fundraising dinner. On this special night, I enjoy watching our oldest students serve tables, eating the yummy dinner, and having time to fellowship with others. I hope to see you there! 

Our Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre fieldtrip is on March 12^th. We will enjoy lunch and a show while practicing our good manners.

Thursday, March 28^th is Crazy Hair or Hat Day. I look forward to seeing how crazy we can look in kindergarten!

One of the best days of the school year is race day! Students will run or walk to raise money for our school on Friday, May 17^th during their time slot in the Bulldog Run. Our K3 class will have school on the 17^th to join in the action. All classes collect items to be auctioned off on race day.  We will be collecting items with K5 and 1^st grade to create a Staycation basket. Items for the Staycation basket are due by April 29^th. A letter came home the last week in February sharing suggestions for our class basket. Please let me know if you need another copy of the letter.

In Bible class this month, we will finish learning of the miracles Jesus performed and then we will discover a number of the parables he told. A new verse was assigned on 2/28: Mark 16:15 “And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.” The verse quiz is on March 14th. Please return the journal on the 14^th.

The development of reading and writing go hand in hand.  Written language is a system of representing oral language. We will continue to practice our writing skills through various activities in class this month.

In math, we will continue to study our tricky teen numbers. While composing and decomposing our teen numbers, we are introduced to and explore place value. We will finish the month using patterns to count to 100. We have a 100 chart that we use each day as part of our morning routine.

Blessings,

Mrs. Daisey Ingiosi

February Newsletter

Dear Families,

In January, we explored animal adaptations to the chilly winter weather. Hibernation, torpor, and migration were some of the topics discussed. Starting this month, we will learn about snow including where it comes from, the different types of flakes, and how a snowflake’s uniqueness mirrors ours as an incomparable creation of God.

We have spent some time in class learning and practicing the following character traits: self-control, orderliness, obedience, diligence, thoughtfulness, kindness, respectfulness, along with being a dependable and well-mannered citizen of our school and community. We will continue to add to our list of character traits. During the school day, we will refer to them as the opportunity arises.

On Thursday, Feb. 14^th, we will have a Valentine Card exchange. Your child brought home a list of classmate’s names on Jan. 29^th with the heading My Valentine List. We have some Valentine related activities we will enjoy on this special day!  

On Thursday, Feb. 28^th, your child can wear a sports jersey or BCS top (GO BULLDOGS!) for our BCS spirit day. On the same day, we will have a representative from McCormick Orthodontics visit and teach us about dental health.

We will explore the miracles of Jesus in Bible class this month. Through the miracles performed, we will see how Jesus is God and has power over nature, illness, sin, and death. We will discuss how Jesus could be human and God – He is awesome! Our first verse in February is Ephesians 6:1 “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.” The verse quiz is on Feb. 14th. Please return the journal on the 14^th.

One of the most exciting things to witness in kindergarten is the transition from a budding to fluent reader. I am so excited that many of our students have begun to read fluently! Practice is the key to fluent reading. Offer as many reading opportunities as possible at home, especially on non-school days. Asking your child questions about what she/he reads will help them with comprehension.

We will be spending extra time on writing skills for the rest of the year. We will sound out our words to spell them. Phonetic spelling is encouraged at this age! We have our word wall of sight words along with numbers, colors, shapes, etc. posted around the classroom to use in addition to the phonetic spellings. When your child is writing at home, you can have them practice starting sentences and names with a capital letter and using punctuation at the end of each sentence.  

In math this month, we will be exploring numbers 11-20 including identification, writing, composing and decomposing. Teen numbers can be tricky for kindergarteners so we will use a variety of manipulative activities to help us understand these numbers. The class has learned a song to help us count by tens. Ask your child to sing it to you. Please continue to review the topic vocabulary cards and practice counting by ones to 100. We have started to count by fives in class; please practice this at home as well. 

Blessings,

Mrs. Daisey Ingiosi

January Newsletter

Dear Families,

Happy 2019!  Our science focus this season will be the study of winter including discovery of animal adaptations to the change in weather.

On Thursday, Jan. 24th have your child wear a Hawaiian shirt or a clashing outfit for our second BCS spirit day. 

In Bible class, we will build on what we learned in December about Christ’s birth and first few years of life to include a study of His ministry. Our first verse in January is John 3:16 ”For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”  Bible journals will come home on 1/2 with this verse inside.  The verse quiz is on January 17th.  Please return the journal on the 17^th.

We will continue to move through our reader books in reading group.  Please be sure to have your child practice the Words at Work at the back of the book multiple times until she/he is fluent in reading them. Please continue to study the sight words that were sent home.  I will send a new list once your child has mastered most of the last list that was sent home.

In math this month, we will be exploring subtraction. Afterward, we will use addition and subtraction to decompose numbers, identify related facts, and solve word problems. Along with studying the topic vocabulary cards, please have your child practice counting to 100 and counting by tens to 100 at home.  We will work to master these skills in class as well. 

Blessings,

Mrs. Daisey Ingiosi

December Newsletter

Dear Families,

We learned about the first Thanksgiving in November.  We discovered that we are very blessed!  In December, our focus will be Jesus’ birth and the events leading up to the arrival of our Savior.

We will have a chance to shop for gifts at the Holiday Shoppe on campus on Tuesday 12/4.  Please see the Tuesday Tidbits for more information.  Wednesday is our first spirit day where we can get crazy with our sock choice. I can’t wait to see everyone’s crazy or mismatched socks!

We will have a class Christmas party on Thursday 12/20 at 2pm.  Please email me if you are interested in coordinating games and/or snacks for the party.  We will play a gift exchange music game.  Please send in an inexpensive (about $5 or under) wrapped book that would be suitable for a boy or girl for the exchange by Tuesday 12/18.

In Bible class, we will focus on Christ’s birth. Our verse for December is Luke 2:11 “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a savior, who is Christ the Lord.” Bible journals will come home on 12/6 with this verse inside.  The verse quiz is on December 20th.  Please return the journal on the 20^th.

We will continue to move through our reader books in reading group.  Please be sure to have your child practice the Words at Work at the back of the book multiple times until she/he is fluent in reading them.  Ask your child if she/he can think of other words in the same family as those listed in the Words at Work. The following web site can be used for phonics practice and enrichment: www.starfall.com . This site also includes practice and enrichment for other subjects.

In math this month, we will be exploring addition. Vocabulary cards will be coming home at the start of this topic.  Please note that vocabulary cards are not provided for all topics.  The following web site can be used for math practice and enrichment: www.ixl.com. This site also includes practice and enrichment for other subjects.

May your family be blessed with peace and health in the New Year.  See you in 2019!

In Him,

Mrs. Daisey Ingiosi

November Newsletter

Dear Families,

We have enjoyed learning about pumpkins and their life cycle in October.  This month we will study the first Thanksgiving and be mindful of our many blessings from the Lord.

School is closed on November 6^th.  We will have a chance to discuss your child’s progress during conferences on the 19^th and 20^th.  Kindergarten students receive an electronic report card at the end of the second and fourth quarters.  The 20^th is a half day of school.  School is closed for Thanksgiving break from 11/21-11/26.  Enjoy having this extra time with family and friends!

In Bible class this month we will journey through the life of Moses. Our next verse to learn is Exodus 15:2a "The Lord is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.”  This verse is due on November 15th.

I meet with reading groups each day.  Each group reads through pages in the books that come home for homework along with practice in areas specific to group needs.  It is wonderful to see growth in reading skills this early in the school year!  If you have any questions about the reading homework that is sent home each night, please reach out to me.

Each student has their own book where they can write and draw about happenings at school.  On most Wednesdays, we complete a page in our book as a center activity.   As the school year moves on, students will grow in their writing skills and progress to creating and writing their own complete sentences.  You will get a sneak peek of your child’s book at conferences.

In math this month, we will be comparing and ordering numbers 0-10.  We will continue to use math vocabulary that includes greater than, less than, and equal.  Try to use this vocabulary with your child as you go about your day and incorporate discussions about comparing sets of numbers.  Many ideas for activities to try at home are listed on your child’s math homework. 

Blessings,
Mrs. Daisey Ingiosi