APRIL: Something Special

ART:  Ms Gilpin

WOW!  What an awesome Music Concert with singing, dancing and ART!  Thanks to all the kiddos for contributing letters for the slideshow that was shown during the concert.  The children had a chance to view the slide show in Art class the week after the concert and were so excited to see their creations put to music!  During the month of April we will be creating with clay and making a “secret” for our Mom’s for Mothers Day ;)  We will also make a crazy crayon from recycling old crayons to celebrate Earth Day.  Throughout the month we will also learn more about Vincent van Gogh and Henri Matisse.  Enjoy your spring and remember to be creative whenever you can!

GYM:  Ms Rhoads

This month we will be roller- skating in gym class.  This is a great opportunity to learn a new skill while getting our bodies strong.  The kiddos will lean how to put on and take off their skates, how to help stop themselves from falling, how to stand up safely on skates, and the benefits to roller-skating.  Again, this is not mandatory, so alternative activities will be offered.  Volunteers are always welcome!

MUSIC:  Ms Jespersen

Our concert was such a success!  I am so proud of all the kiddos!  They performed wonderfully!  If you have any pictures of the concert that you would like to send me, I am putting together a post on our website showcasing some of our singers and would love to have a few good shots to put up!  You can drop them in my box or email me electronic versions @ Courtney.jespersen@jessamine.kyschools.us

If you wouldn’t mind having them in the blog please let me know!  And if you have not been reading our blog feel free to start!  

LIBRARY: Ms Stevens, Ms Kulaga (long term sub) & Ms Keely

We will begin the month of April by reading The Circus Ship by Chris Van Dusen. We will then spend a few weeks enjoying the original version and variations of The Three Little Pigs. After story time each week, students will visit centers. This month's centers include Sequencing Center, Puppet Center, Listening Center, and I Spy Center. At the end of class, students check out a book and have independent reading time. Also, we are excited to announce the return of the Scholastic Book Fair the week of May 6-10. We will be sending home book fair flyers and information about the online portion of the fair soon!

GUIDANCE:  Ms Newsome & Ms Dodgen

In Guidance, during the month of April, we will talk about touching safety. Your child will learn that safety rules include rules about touching.  In the Guidance lessons, children will learn that there are three kinds of touches:

·       Safe touches. These are touches that keep you safe and are good for your body. They make you feel cared for, loved and important. Safe touches include hugging, holding hands, pats on the back, an arm around the shoulder, and a shot from the doctor.

·       Unsafe touches. These are touches that are not good for your body and either hurt your body or your feelings (for example, hitting, pushing, pinching, kicking, and touching the private parts of your body).

·       Unwanted touches. These may be safe touches, yet the child doesn’t want to be touched in that way, by that person, or at that moment in time. It is okay for a child to say “No” to unwanted touches. Children can say “No” to any unwanted touch, even if the person touching them is someone they know. Help your child practice saying “No” in an assertive yet polite voice. This will help children learn how to set personal boundaries for keeping themselves safe.

During Guidance lessons, the children will learn the Touching Rule: A bigger person should not touch your private body parts except to keep you clean and healthy. They will learn that private body parts are “those parts covered by a swimsuit.” It is recommended that you, as parents/caregivers, use the anatomically correct terms when talking with your child about private body parts. This will ensure that if necessary, your child is able to communicate accurately about any touching questions or problems he/she may have.

Thank you for being a partner in teaching safety to your child. We realize that touching safety is a sensitive topic, so please call us if you have any questions.