Our unit about winter, how animals live in winter, and how arctic animals live is finished for this year.  We can see how much the children have learned by their answers to questions, by their conversation and by their predictions when we read books about those subjects.

This coming week we will concentrate on Valentine’s Day and all the love and kindness that encourages.  Our party will be on Tuesday, February 14.  It will be low-key.  Please have your child bring in the bag with handles that was described in the newsletter last week.  Only 4 children have brought in bags so far and we will begin decorating them on Tuesday of this week.  Check last week’s newsletter for specifics.

This has been a very exciting week for the children with many different activities to celebrate Catholic Schools Week.

Next week our letter will be /v/.

We will be attending Mass on Monday this week at 9:00. Please encourage your children to have good behavior in church.  I am sure that when you take them to church yourself, you hear them singing some of the responses and saying some of the prayers. They are very proud of their participation.

Thursday, February 16 is a half-day of school. The children will be dismissed at 11:15 at the side door.  There will be no after care that day.  Parent teacher conferences will be that afternoon and evening.  We will be sending home your time on Tuesday or Wednesday of this week. I am looking foward to meeting with all of you on 2/16. There will be no school on Friday, February 17 and Monday, February 20.

Have a good weekend.

What a great week this has been for getting back into the routine of school.  It was such beautiful weather for the first days and the children were  able to play outside everyday.  Then, just as we were finishing this first week about WINTER, it snowed.  There was so much excitement in the room when the first child saw the first snowflakes, and we often saw one or two children just sitting next to the window watching. We will continue with the same theme of WINTER for the full month of January.  On January 25 the preschool classes are going to have a pajama day. That will be during the week when we talk about animals that hibernate. The children may also bring a teddy bear to school with them on that day.

This past week we introduced the letter /w/.  Next week the letter will be /s/.

In religion we will be talking about the miracles of Jesus.

Looking ahead:

Monday, January 16     NO SCHOOL

Tuesday, January 17 9:00     ALL SCHOOL MASS

Wednesday, January 25     PRESCHOOL PAJAMA DAY

Sunday, January 29  9:30  CATHOLIC SCHOOLS  WEEK MASS and OPEN HOUSE

I hope you enjoy this snowy weekend.  The children are certainly excited about all the fun things that can be done in the snow.

As we enter this lovely season of Advent, we have been talking about waiting – waiting for birthdays, waiting for our moms and dads, waiting for special things to happen, and especially waiting for Jesus to come. In preparation for that, each of the children has colored a picture of a “secret” house and drawn something in that house that reminds each of them of Christmas.  They are quite delightful.  All of the houses are on our board in the front of the room numbered from 1 – 22 (our last day of school.) Each day we will remove one house and the child will be able to talk about what they drew.  The child will then bring that house home. Please take the time to talk to your child about their own drawing and how you wait and get ready in your family.

Ms. Fitzgerald, Mrs. Thomas, Mrs. Sapp and I want to thank you for your generosity in sending mittens and hats for the children who live at the Constance Morris House.  In all we shared 50 hats and 70 pairs of mittens and gloves, as well as several scarves.   It was truly heart-warming to take this bundle of warm clothes to the center.  Please keep these women and children in your prayers, as well as the people who work to keep them safe.

We also want to thank you for donating to our Thanksgiving Feast. The children had a wonderful time.  The pictures of our festivities are on this site.  I hope you enjoy them.

As we move closer to Christmas, each classroom at St. Cletus is sponsoring a family. We have sent home a note regarding what each child in our room should bring in to fill our food basket. We received more specific information today about our family. There are eight people in this family: two adults, and six children under 18, so when you send your donation, please remember that number. If you would like to donate a gift card to Jewel or Dominick’s, you may send it in your child’s communication folder and we will be sure it is included.

On December 22, the 8th grade classes and the Kindergarten classes will be leading our Christmas Mass.  In preparation, the entire student body will be decorating a Christmas tree with ornaments that share a good deed.  We received the materials for these ornaments today, and already we have placed two ornaments on this tree of kindness. 

In our classroom work, we are preparing our room and our hearts for Christmas by telling and retelling the story of the Holy Family.

This week we have made Advent wreaths in all different ways and next week we will talk about and make Christmas trees in many different ways.

Our letter of the week will be /m/.

Looking ahead

Thursday, December 8 – All School Mass - Immaculate Conception

Thursday, December 15 – Preschool Christmas Program

Your child should come to school at the regular time. Our program begins at 10:00 in Morrissey Hall.  Your child will be dismissed to your care after the program.  Your child should wear good clothes that day.

We wish for you an Advent season that calms your spirit and fills you with anticipation for the blessings of the Christ Child.