The end of the semester is now here...which, in first grade terms, means that the fun has just STARTED!  The second part of first grade is a *WOW* stage of life.  *WOW* that they make more decisions...and are becoming a little more independent.  *WOW* that they are reading and writing more and more...and becoming a little more independent.  *WOW* that they are hilarious and understanding jokes and telling jokes and laughing at their own jokes...and becoming a little more independent.  *WOW* that they are asking harder questions and want to explore and investigate things a little deeper...and are becoming a little more independent.   Embrace this time!  As a mother of a 2nd grader and a 4th grader, this in-between innocence/independence stage is a gift...one of my favorite times.

An email will be sent out later next week with a link to Skyward to view your child's report card(s).  As a district, we do not send paper copies home with students.  If you have any questions about the report card, please feel free to contact me.  I will be sending home a "rubric" of sorts that explains the grading system for 1st grade (no grades--just levels of independence and competency in subject areas).

Valentine's Day is coming up!  From Monday-Thursday of the week of the Valentine's Day party (Feb 9-12), your child should bring in their valentine cards.  They will have time to "mail" them that morning into the valentine bags we will make at school. We will open them up at the Valentine's Day Party on Friday, February 13th.  Warning:  writing 21 names on 21 cards plus their own can be tedious.  Please try to have them write 4-5 names a night for a few night in a row instead of all at once!  Breaking it up has its rewards!  And in your best teacher voice :), please remind them that Mrs. Miller always says that you are an important person and so are their friends, so a capital letter to begin their friends' names and lower case letters to follow...are important!