March 2
Hi fellow parents!
We had a super fun trip to Shamrock Farms this week. The kids got to pet baby cows, play on the playground, and of course drink some chocolate milk and have ice cream. Pics were posted to the Villa Instagram. Special thanks to the parents that volunteered to drive for this one. It was a long drive so we appreciate it!
From Lisa this week:
- We will be learning all about tomatoes and cooking marinara sauce this week for our Blue Watermelon program. The cooking recipe looks pretty easy so we are not going to invite parents. We will be using a crock pot instead of a burner so it will be an all day event on Wednesday.
- This is Catch-up week. We will celebrate all the hard work with fries & ketchup for a snack on Monday. (So you don't have to send a snack on Monday). Just a little play on words to help the kids get in the mood for working hard and finishing up their 3rd quarter work before break.
- Third Year State Testing
- For 3rd years, we will be testing 4/1 (no, that is not a joke), 4/2, 4/15, & 4/17. PLEASE, plan around those times to help you children be at school, on time, & have a hearty protein rich breakfast.
Pizza Pickup
- We need someone to pickup pizza this Friday, and we have a few other ones empty. The new pickup is Little Caesars on 2950 N 32nd St SUITE 125, Phoenix, 85018
South America Presentations
March 10 - 14 - Monday-Friday - Spring Break, school closed except for Infants, All-Day Toddlers and All-Day Contracts (Circle students)
March 17 - Monday - Tentative Start of Testing Window
March 28 - Friday - South America Luncheon
April 5 - Saturday - Annual Auction Dinner
April 11 - Friday - Tentative Last Day for AZSCI Testing & Writing
April 25 - Friday - Tentative Last Day for AASA ELA & Math Testing
May 5 - Monday - Tentative Preview Day for Kindergarten, 3rd Grade and 6th Grade Students
May 9 - Friday - Early Release at 11:30 am except Infants, All- Day Toddlers and Circle - Parent-Teacher Conferences
May 20 - Tuesday - Last Day of School - Half Day for all students; MS Early Release at 11:30 am - Orlando Promotion
May 21 - 27 - Wednesday - Tuesday - All School Closed - Work Week
May 28 - Wednesday - Summer Camp Program Begins
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Feb 22
Hope you all had a nice week and welcome to our new student, George and his family.
Field trip on Monday:
- We will be going on our field trip to Shamrock Farms and leaving right at 8:45 so make sure your child is on time.
- Don't forget to put them in their class t-shirt and send a booster seat
- We will eat lunch there so don't send anything that needs to be heated up.
Spirit Week
- Next week is Spirit Week with some special dress up days for E1
- Monday: Crazy sock day (with their class t-shirt for the field trip!)
- Tuesday: Mismatch day
- Wednesday: Pink shirt day (Anti-bully awareness day)
- Thursday: Dress up day
- Friday: Funky Friday
South America Presentations
- Just a reminder that your child should be working on their presentations, and to pencil in our luncheon on Friday, March 28, 11:30 start.
Important Dates:
February 24 - Monday - Shamrock farms field trip and Anti-Bullying Awareness Week begins
February 26 - Wednesday - Pink Shirt Day for Anti-Bullying Awareness
March 10 - 14 - Monday-Friday - Spring Break, school closed except for Infants, All-Day Toddlers and All-Day Contracts (Circle students)
March 28 - Friday - South America Luncheon
April 5 - Saturday - Annual Auction Dinner
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Jan. 31
Updates:
- South America Study
- If they choose a specific aspect of that country, it will need to be related to political or environmental topics, such as:
- How it benefits the country
- How the environment affects the people, clothing, food etc.
- Topics will be chosen next week. Have your child start to think about what they want and to make a list of three potential topics.
- 1st Grade will do animals
- 2nd may do capital cities or biomes
- 3rd will do countries. They may focus on a specific aspect of that country or do an overview.
- Presentations will likely begin March 17th with the luncheon March 28. That will give them 4 school weeks/5 with Spring Break.
- Class Studies
- In class they are learning about the water cycle and how rivers are formed. They will be learning about clouds, "now that we actually have some," Lisa jokes.
Reminders:
- Field Trip
- Our next field trip is Shamrock Farms Feb. 24. Make a note to have your child's class t-shirt that day.
- Valentines Day
- Lisa will send home a class list and your child will write the names of each classmate on a card, and sign from themselves. The class will do a Valentines bag decorating activity prior to the day.
- This is of course optional! If your child doesn't want to give cards, they will still get cards from other classmates.
- Volunteering
- Our Pizza Friday's have moved to Mr. Moto on Camelback and 40th street. Please sign up as we have a few empty spots.
- Thanks to everyone who signed up for Laundry! We are all booked up for the year.
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IMPORTANT DATES
February 3 - Monday - Valentine Grams go on sale
February 7 - Friday - Infant & Toddlers Closed All Day; All School Early Release at 11:30 am including Circle
February 14 - Friday - Valentine Grams delivered
February 17 - Monday - School Closed for President's Day
February 24 - Monday - Shamrock farms field trip and Anti-Bullying Awareness Week begins
February 26 - Wednesday - Pink Shirt Day for Anti-Bullying Awareness
March 10 - 14 - Monday-Friday - Spring Break, school closed except for Infants, All-Day Toddlers and All-Day Contracts (Circle students)
March 17 - Monday - Tentative Start of Testing Window
March 28 - Friday - South America Luncheon
April 5 - Saturday - Annual Auction Dinner
April 11 - Friday - Tentative Last Day for AZSCI Testing & Writing
April 25 - Friday - Tentative Last Day for AASA ELA & Math Testing
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Jan 12
Hi fellow parents,
Is it too late to say Happy New Year? Yes? Okay, let's jump right in:
- Conferences
- The next two weeks are conference time with Lisa. If you haven't signed up yet, please do! If there isn't a time that works for you, email Lisa to set something up for the following week.
- The Blue Watermelon Project is coming to class again tomorrow - this time with their own chefs. They'll be making crusted broccoli smash. The class now has more kid friendly knives, so your kids will come home with all their digits. (Not that anyone has lost a digit or five)
- Pizza Friday
- As Lisa mentioned last week, Pizza Friday will be changing a little as My Slice is under new ownership. This week, we were able to pick up from Mr. Moto, which the kids liked. There has been a classroom discussion about breaking up the Pizza Friday's with some other options, maybe once a month. That will go ahead once there is 100% agreement on a healthy option.
- Once all the new details are figured out, we will update you. But there are a fair amount of empty slots for Pizza Pickup so please sign up and we will let you know where it will be.
- Valentines Day
- It's a ways away (although you'd never know when walking into Target) but in case you want to get a jump on buying Valentines Day cards, the kids will be invited to participate in a card exchange.
- Lisa will send home a class list and your child will write the names of each classmate on a card, and sign from themselves. The class will do a Valentines bag decorating activity prior to the day.
- This is of course optional! If your child doesn't want to give cards, they will still get cards from other classmates.
- Field Trip
- Our next field trip is Shamrock farms Feb. 24. That will be a full school day trip so reach out to Lisa if you can drive for that one.
- Classroom studies
- The class is wrapping up the Mesozoic Era and will start South America next in preparation for the next continent study. Kids will pick their topics in February.
- They will also be studying weather this month, along with Martin Luther King.
IMPORTANT DATES
January 17 - Friday - Early Release at 11:30 am except Infants, Toddlers & Circle (Conferences)
January 20 - Monday - All School Closed - MLK Day
January 24 - Friday - Early Release at 11:30 am except Infants, Toddlers & Circle (Conferences)
January 25 - Saturday - PTO Fun Run
February 3 - Monday - Valentine Grams go on sale
February 7 - Friday - Infant & Toddlers Closed All Day; All School Early Release at 11:30 am including Circle
February 14 - Friday - Valentine Grams delivered
February 17 - Monday - School Closed for President's Day
February 24 - Monday - Anti-Bullying Awareness Week begins
February 26 - Wednesday - Pink Shirt Day for Anti-Bullying Awareness
March 10 - 14 - Monday-Friday - Spring Break, school closed except for Infants, All-Day Toddlers and All-Day Contracts (Circle students)
March 17 - Monday - Tentative Start of Third Grade Testing Window
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