First Day Letter 8-28-24

Hi! We had a wonderful first day of school! I’m really excited to be back!  We are going to have a super year! Ask your child about our scavenger hunt!

I have enclosed our specials schedule and class list. Please note the days that the specials are on. Sneakers should be worn or brought for Phys. Ed. Library books can be returned on or before Library day. We will eat snack at 9:20 and lunch at 11:55 each day. Children are allowed to grab a working snack in the afternoon if they are hungry.  We go outside twice each day. Feel free to put an extra bag of clothes or keep a sweatshirt in your child’s locker in case of mishaps or changing temperatures. Students can change anytime during the day.

I will be emailing home newsletters each week.This will keep you informed of what is going on in grade one. You can also check my blog for information at:  www.http://vcslk1.blogspot.com. Everything I send home, including homework, will be placed in your child’s folder. There will be no homework the first three weeks of school. Please make sure your child brings his/her folder each day. This is a good way for you to send in notes. I check folders first thing each morning. Another good way to reach me is by email, lkimball@veaziecs.org. I check my email throughout the day. I also check it at night and on weekends. 

Reminder about transportation schedules...if your child’s schedule is going to change, I need a note or phone call from you. I cannot accept a verbal message from your child for safety reasons. Also, the earlier you can let the school know, the better. Last minute changes are hard when trying to get classes packed up and out.

Once again, I am really looking forward to this year. Together, we can make this a great year for your child!

Back to School Parent Letter 7-31-24

Hi! School is just around the corner. I’m excited to get the opportunity to work with you and your child. Together we will make this a successful year!

I have enclosed a transportation schedule. However, I have already sent home a survey via email, so just be sure to fill out one of them and return it to me before the first day of school. This will be the schedule your child will follow unless I get a note or phone call from you changing it. For safety reasons, I cannot take your child’s verbal statement of where s/he is going. Also, please call the office before 1:00 if at all possible to make sure I get the message. 

On the back of the transportation schedule you will find a social media release form. I update my classroom blog each week with pictures and news. The kids really enjoy seeing themselves and sharing what they are doing with family and friends. I also like to publish a lot on the school Facebook page. I encourage you to let your child be a part of this. You may also use any of the pictures I take of your child...just drag them off the page or screenshot. Check out our classroom blog at: www.vcslk1.blogspot.com to get a feel of what our classroom will be like:)!

Your child will have his/her own personal locker. Please feel free to leave extra clothes in a labeled bag in this locker. This way your child can change if a mishap occurs (puddles, paint etc.). The school day tends to start off cool and get hot by the afternoon the first couple of months. Feel free to leave a sweatshirt or shorts in the locker as well. I don’t mind if the kids change during the day.

We will have a snack each morning. I also allow the kids to grab a “working snack” in the afternoon if they get hungry. It’s a good idea to pack an extra just in case.! Water bottles are also welcome! 🙂

Students will need a backpack and a one inch - three ringed binder. Please write your child’s name in bold print on the cover of the binder. We use the binders to hold our poetry in. If anyone would like to donate an extra one inch three ringed binder, I would really appreciate it. Students will take their poetry books home in June. I will send homework and notes home in the folder that the PTO purchases for us. I check folders each morning for notes and homework. It would also be helpful to keep a plastic reusable bag in the front pocket of your child’s backpack. This helps when there are projects to bring home.

First Graders will have desks with a small storage area. I would like each child to have his/her own work supplies. Stores usually have these items on sale extremely cheap towards the end of summer. I have already purchased a desk organizer for each child. I would like each child to bring the following items to keep in his/her organizer:  a glue stick, Crayola colored pencils, Crayola 8 or 10 count markers, Crayola crayons, 3 Ticonderoga pencils (pre-sharpened if they have them), two thin dry erase markers, and two highlighters. We also need Clorox wipes, tissues and Ziploc bags (sandwich and gallon size) and plain brown band-aids. 

We could also use donations to our treat box (party supplies, old happy meal toys, things you might be throwing away that would be a treasure to a first grader). Dollar Tree gift cards are always appreciated throughout the year. This is where I get LOTS of our project supplies, guess box items and treat box prizes.

If you have any questions, feel free to call me at school (947-6573). You can also reach me by e-mail at lkimball@veaziecs.org. 

I want to make your child’s transition to Grade 1 as easy as possible...

 yours too :)!

Sincerely,

Laurie Kimball

P.S. Can’t wait to see you at Open House on Tuesday, August 27th from 5:00 - 6:30. Feel free to bring your child’s supplies in then and they can set up their desk and locker. This way they will have less to carry on their first day of school the following day. 

For those that enjoy lists, like me, I’ve attached one with supplies on it. 😀

First Graders Should:

Bring Daily

Backpack

Folder (Provided by PTO)

Snack/Lunch (unless getting it at school)

Bring to Open House or on First Day

Extra clothes for locker (in a labeled bag)

Glue stick(s)

3 Ticonderoga pre-sharpened pencils

Twistable or regular Crayola colored pencils

Twistable or regular Crayola crayons

8 or 10 count of Crayola markers

2 highlighters

2 thin Dry erase markers

1 - 1” 3 ring binder labeled with name

Optional Donations

Tissues

Clorox Wipes

Bandaids (plain brown ones)

Prizes for Treat Box

Sandwich or Gallon Size Ziploc baggies

Dollar Tree Gift Card for class projects/treats/supplies

Also, don’t forget to fill out the online survey I emailed OR return the transportation/social media form enclosed. 🙂

Summer Fun Places

 SUMMER FUN

Just a few ideas...however, there are so many more out there!

Some places have fees, some are free...check link to get more info.

Go explore our state :)!

Oceanaruim and Education Center

This place is great! It has a real lobster boat for the kids to climb and play in, trails through the salt marsh to explore and live touch tanks!

Tidal Falls

The best place to find starfish!! Go at low tide.

Maine Wildlife Park

SO many Maine animals to see! You can spend a day and picnic there.

Moose Point State Park

Great place to picnic, explore tidal pools, walk easy scenic paths and play on a playground.

Diver-In Theater

The coolest show around! Go on the boat with Diver Ed while he scuba dives below you and films what he sees. You get to see it all live on a screen. Then he brings up things for you to hold, touch and learn about. He’s also hilarious!

Bangor Public Library Children's Calendar

Check out their summer calendar for special activities they have going on!

Bar Island

One of my favorite places to visit. Two hours before and after low tide you can walk across to Bar Island from the Mainland. Just make sure you get back before the tide comes in. Lots of things to explore.

First Grade News and Pics 6/14/24

WOW! What a great ending to a wonderful year! We did a LOT in a short week. Monday we read Last Day Blues which goes with the book First Day Jitters that we read on our first day of school. We then talked about how things can make us sad and happy at the same time. We brainstormed why we will miss first grade and why we are excited for vacation. We had blue punch after as a special treat. We also made ourselves into merpeople!

 Tuesday we finished up some dragon activities and even squeezed in another Dragon Masters book. We made dragon eyes and got stuffed dragons in the Guess Box. If you are looking for some summer books to read with your kids, we finished book 23 of Dragon Masters. There are still three we didn't get to. You can find them at BAM or Amazon! 

Wednesday we got our first grade yearbooks. The kids were so sweet as they looked at them. It was a great way to remember the year as we bring it to a close. We signed yearbooks after. We got beach balls in the Guess Box because I had a BALL being their teacher this year! We also had a barbecue for lunch. We had fun eating outside together!

Thursday was field day. We played lots of games, got our faces painted, did crafts and had popsicles. We came back to the room for a special story, A House for Hermit Crab. It is the perfect story to end the year as it talks about how the hermit crab outgrows its shelf over the year and has to move onto another. We watched The Ugly Pumpkin and part of An Earth Day Carol. We then closed out our year with Hey There Neighbor. Ask your child to teach it to you! It was one of our favorite dance songs this year.

I'd like to thank you for sharing your kids with me this year. It was great watching them grow. They are very special. I also appreciate all of your support this year. They are definitely ready for second grade and will love Miss Bilodeau. I will still be seeing them at recess each day...they can't escape me that easily! ;)

I'm going to leave a list of places I used to love to take my kids when they were this age. I'll also add a few more that I've found over the years. Just in case you're looking for ideas. I'll put it on it's own page for easier access. Have a wonderful summer!

Happy Summer!