The Towne News!

Who is Ms. Towne?

 
I am now back to being a first grade teacher.  I am extremely excited about a new group of student!  We will be forming new friendships, focusing on Life Skills,  and  learning together everyday! 

I graduated from the University of Mobile with a dual degree in Elementary Education and Early Childhood Education.  I also just graduated from Kennesaw State University with my MED. in Educational Leadership degree with a concentration in Technology.  I have worked at Varner Elementary for 5 years now and have had the opportunity to loop with 2 classes.

Number of visits to my blog:

Today's Events

Dear Parents,

 

Please take time today to speak with your child about today’s inauguration events.  We studied them today and took part in the school viewing of the oath of office and inauguration address.  Students were very excited to take part in this historic event.  Here are some questions to ask your child:

·       What is an oath?

·       What song do they play for the President?

·       Who is our current President? Vice President?

·       What does inauguration mean?

 

K. Towne

December News

December News!

6 – Winter Festival 8:30-2:00
18 – Breakfast (parents invited for the
breakfast portion of our holiday party  8:15-9:00)
19 – PJ’s & Movie~ Read all day! (bring your favorite pillow & wear some comfy PJ’s for an exciting day of reading)

Dec. 20- Jan 5 - No School Winter Holiday
Jan. 6 – Students return to school
Jan. 19 – No School Day
Jan. 26-30 Conference Week (students dismissed early)

Click the following links to read the (TypePad is not allowing me to link Word documents at this time, I will try later from home)
The Towne News: 
Winter Breakfast Invite:

~K.Towne

Thanksgiving Lunch

Varner will be having our annual Thanksgiving Lunch with parents.  If you would like to come join your child for lunch please fill out the form and return it to school.  This will allow the cafeteria plan for all of the parents.   Our class will be eating Thanksgiving Lunch  Thursday, November 20th @ 12:18.

I look forward to seeing you there,

~K. Towne

Updates....

I hope that everyone enjoyed their homework tonight with play dough.  :-)  The kids have had a blast with all of our hands on science and social studies this year. 

Beginning next week we will be adding MATH to our homework.  The class has come along GREAT with their sight words and it is time to focus a little time on math too.  (the activities should only take about 10 min.)  I will also be sending a homework pack home on Mondays.  Please complete and return the following Monday.

As always, thank you for your support in your child's education,
~K. Towne

*I would also like to thank those of you who worked the booth at the Fall Festival.  It was great to see so many of you there.   We also raised over $85 to purchase books for our media center.  They will be in and on the shelves soon.  :-)

Fall Festival

Parents we are still looking for help to run our station at the Fall Festival.  Our class has been asked to run the Viking Toss.  If you are able to volunteer for at least 30 minutes that would be a great help. 
The Varner Fall Festival is October 10th, 6:00-9:00. 
Thank you for your help,
~K. Towne

October News!

A few important reminders:

• Fall Festival is October 10, 2008  6-9pm
• Our class is in charge of the Viking Toss - please let me know if you can volunteer to run this booth for 30 minutes during the Fall Festival
• We are also collecting donations to purchase a set of Little Critter books for the media center (in lieu of auctioning a basket)
• Report Cards go home October 17

~K. Towne

Click to view the October Newsletter Download towne_new1stOctober.doc

September News!

A few topics we will be learning this 9 weeks:

• addition and subtraction facts 0-10
• making fair trades with coins to $0.50
• changes and observations of weather/seasons
• where we live - city, county, state, country, continent
• landforms, oceans, & continents

And many other skills.  Reviewing/talking about these topics at home helps to reinforce learning.
Thank you for your support in your child's education,
~K. Towne

Download towne_new1stSeptember.doc

Here is a website that you could use if you are looking for some extra math help.  It allows you to do 20 practice problems a day without a paid membership.    Math Practice

PTA update

Please make sure everyone has joined PTA.  It would be Great to have 100% of our class as members!!!  ( If you need a form or would like to sponsor a family that can not afford to join PTA please write me a note)  They support our school in so many ways!  The cost is only $5.00 and I can assure  you that it will go straight back to your child's education.

Another way to support PTA is to participate in the Fall Fund Raiser.  Packets have been sent home and are due back on September 10th.  Varner PTA receives 50% of all money brought in with this fund raiser!

~K. Towne

Odds & Ends

Word Work homework began this week.  Remember to keep the word boxes in your child's book bag daily.  We will also be using these boxes from time to time in class.   New words will be sent home weekly based on individual student progress.

We will begin Talent Development as a class on Wednesdays.  For 45 minutes during the day we will be going to the ALP classroom (formally called target) to work on extending our thinking.  We will continue this most Wednesday's through December.

Another guest that will be visiting our rooms every other Friday is Mrs. Chupp our School Counselor.   She will be meeting with our class for mini lesson on topic such as health, safety, feeling, and friendship.

Class Newsletter

We have made it through the first week of first grade!  I am proud to say that everything seems to be falling into place.  I hope to see all of you at Open House on Tuesday, August 19, 2008.   Attached is The Towne News in a word document.   Also check out the new "Page" added to the side bar of our BLOG to view the sight words that 1st graders are responsible for.

Download towne_new1st.doc

~K. Towne

August 2008
19 – Open House K-2 6:30
26 – Picture Day
29 - Spirit Day & Hat Day ($1)

September 2008
1 – No School Day
16 – Early Release
(students dismissed at 12)
17-19 CogAT testing 1^st grade
Be sure students arrive everyday on time!
26 - Spirit Day