Thursday, September 12, 2013



Cadet Pride
Big Me, Little Me
Brave Talk
are some of the terms we have been introduced to in the first few weeks of school. Luckily, many of us found these conversations as a “review” since our kindergarten teachers teach the same practices!!

What do you need to know about these terms?
Cadet Pride is our school’s terminology for what teachers expect to see in the classrooms, hallways, specials classes, recess, etc. If your child says “I got caught showing Cadet Pride!” That means that your child made great choices and those choices were observed by school staff!

Here are our “Cadet Pride” expectations:
Be Respectful
Be Responsible
Be Caring
Be Trustworthy

“Big Me, Little Me” is a book that we read about a little girl who is truly having a tough day! She continuously encounters obstacles and it is her choice how she deals with those obstacles.

We use the term “Big Me Choices” when we make great choices! Once in awhile, we might make “little me choices,” which is ok because we know strategies to help us next time!!


Finally, BRAVE TALK is what our guidance counselor, Mrs. McCabe taught us to do if we encounter a problem. When we use our Brave Talk, we do it in a way that will not hurt our friends’ feelings:

1.    State our friends’ name
2.  State the problem
3.  Ask them to solve it

Ex: “Casey, I don’t like it when you budge in front of me. Can you please go to the back of the line?”

Literacy at Home
We have been practicing online literacy programs. If you are interested in interacting at home, please feel free to use these accounts.

PLEASE NOTE: We have not yet experienced KID BLOG so please wait until next week to allow your child to use their log-in!!
Raz-Kids
Login: cadet7
Book Flix
username: kaea137
password: kaea01
Kid Blog
Username: first name
Password: first name
Reading Eggs
username: 1bname
(ex: 1bbrock)
password: class1b




Assessments September 16-27
As in kindergarten, your child will be assessed using the DIBELS (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills) as required by the State of Iowa. Your child will be assessed by myself in 3 different areas and those scores will be reported to you when available and discussed at Parent Teacher Conferences!!

In addition to DIBELS, your child will receive another state assessment known as MAPS or MISIC. If you have an older child in this district, you will be familiar with MAPS. If you are not familiar, you soon will be!! There are two assessments via computer: 1 Reading and 1 Math. These scores will also be reported to you and discussed during PT Conferences!!

What can you do to help?? Please be sure that your child gets PLENTY of sleep, eats a healthy breakfast, and arrives to school on time during the next 2 weeks of school!!
Vowels
a   e   i   o   u 
We have been discussing the difference between vowels and the rest of our regular letters. Vowels are special because they can make more than just one sound!! There is a SHORT vowel sound (like learned in Jolly Phonics) and a LONG vowel sound which happens when the vowel says its own name: ex: April, Eel, Ice, Orange, and Unicorn. 

This week we studied that "vowel teams" or "vowel digraphs" often work together!! The first vowel talks, the second vowel walks!! The vowel digraphs oa, and ai are examples. 
In "rain" you hear the a but not the i
In boat you hear the o but not the a
Watch this video for more examples:
Let’s Look at Next Week:
Monday: Library
* Mrs. Rausch will be at a SINA Meeting in Elkader representing Crestwood Elementary. Please call Linda at the office if you need anything!
Tuesday: Art
* MAPS Testing *
Wednesday: MAPS Testing
Thursday: Music
·     MAPS Testing *
Friday: PE
* MAPS Testing *
* Have a GREAT Weekend *