to Camp Coyote's Parent Information Site

(AKA Mrs. Berkshire's First Grade Class at Coronado)

Character Counts Week!

The week of October 19th is Character Counts Week!  Each day we will celebrate a different character trait.  See below for details!

Monday - Responsibility    

Wear green.

Tuesday - Caring

Wear red.  (and this will be Random Acts of Kindness Day)

Wednesday - Respect    

Wear yellow.

Thursday - Fairness

Wear orange.

Friday= Citizenship and Trustworthiness       

Wear blue and school spiritcolors

Let's show that we have character - yes, we do!

Fall Break

Thank you to all of you for coming out to parent teacher conferences.  Our class had 100% participation!  You guys rock!  What that tells me is that you are dedicated to encoraging your child's growth.  You want to work with me to see that happen.  You are also sending your child a strong message that education is important to you.

Take time to enjoy your child during the break!  We get so busy during the school year that we forget to just enjoy the kids!  As the weather cools, take a walk and talk.  They are some of the funniest people I know!  In Scottsdale, there is a drive-in movie theater(if you didn't know).  Get a group of friends together to enjoy the new kids' movie at the drive-in theater.  Play video games with them.  Whatever you choose to do, it will be a memory they cherish because they are with you!

After break, we will start the 2nd quarter.  I handed out the 2nd quarter homework at conferences, but it also below for you to download.  After the break, your child will bring home a copy of the sight words that they know and need to know.

Community Helpers

Thank you to all of our community helpers that came out to share their careers with the students!

Officer McClimans not only told the students about being a police officer, but also shared with the students how they can keep themselves safe in different situations.  They learned that police officers protect people as well as "get the bad guys".  Thanks for the coloring books and badges!

Mr. Seare shared with the students what it takes to be a physical therapist.  He brought in a large balance ball and a small trampoline.  The students had an chance to try out the trampoline.  You can try at home the difference between standing on both feet and one foot.  The girls loved that he said they were "stonger"!

Mrs. Miller, a friend of mine, talked to the students about being an author.  She read a book that she wrote for her children when they were little about her childhood.  She talked about writing about what you know.  She shared with them a graphic organizer that they can use for writing of fictional stories.

After the break, Mr. Layton will come in to talk about his job at the nursery as well as farming.  I have heard him speak before, and the kids are in for a big treat!

Email on September 7th

Good Afternoon,   I wanted to remind you of a few things that are happening this week.  

Tomorrow: Grandparents' Day will be celebrated tomorrow with a lunch and story at school.  Even though a flyer came home explaining this, I just want to remind everyone what will be happening.  Grandparents school arrive at the school at 11:20.  They will sign in at the front office and proceed to the gym to wait for their little darling.  This way they can scope out a seat.  The students will come in the gym at 11:25.  There is seating outside under an awning.   Grandparents should bring their lunch.  They may also bring a lunch for the grandchild. It's up to them.  Grandparents in the past have brought in anything from McDonald's to Pizza Hut.  Let your child know if grandparents are coming for lunch.  Sometimes they get worried when they don't have their lunch.  I will come out 5 minutes early as it is hot outside.  At 12 noon, I will get the students and their VIP guest to go inside and read a story.  We will say good-bye about 12:15.  

Tomorrow is also PE day - remember tennis shoes are best on days like this.  

Tuesday is Library day.  AR and picture books should be kept in the backpack that way the students always know where they are.  When we have time for AR, students can read their AR book if they are not ready to take the test.  If they are ready, they can read to someone and take the test.  We have lots of volunteers this month - thank you.  Volunteers will be used sometimes to help with this while the students are still learning how to ask questions of other students' reading!  

Friday is muffins for moms at 7am to 7:30 at the gym.  Students aren't allowed on campus alone until 7:50 so I think that time might be extended a little.   Have a Great Week! Mrs. B

Second Week of School (E-mail)

Our 2nd week is coming to an end.  We are still discussing rules and the expectations at school.  Earlier this week, Mr. Jerry, Mrs. Schiro and Mr. Berkshire spoke with all first graders about school rules.  Please ask your child about rules and how they can do their best at school. 

Friday is Spirit Day!  Don’t forget to dress your child in coyote shirts or in teal and/or purple.  It is the day we show our spirit!!

If your child has sold one item from the fund raiser, please send me an e-mail stating that.  I have cool, flying, foam rockets for anyone who just sells one item!

Next week, we have a busy Wednesday.  During the school day, we have picture day.   Order forms came home today. That evening is curriculum night.   You can come from 5 to 5:40 with me and then go into the cafeteria for the administrators' presentation until 6:10, or you can come at 5:50 for the administrators presentation and then go to my room from 6:20 to 7.

It Was a Great First Week!

Thank you for sharing your children with me!  We talked a lot about rules and expectations this first week.  Ask your child about what they will do to show "Pride in the PACK" next week.  They came up with some terrific ideas!

Homework will come home next week with a homework journal (spiral notebook).  Please complete all of the homework, except the sight words, and return on Friday.  Sight word lists will come home the following week.  The quarterly homework is available to download below.

 Want to give feedback on Meet the Teacher night?

Please click on the link below

<a href="http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=xHX_2bGU54Bo_2bw2qPWLvetsw_3d_3d">Click Here to take survey</a>

What to Bring To School

Hi and welcome to a new school year!  I hope that this website will be a place that will keep you informed throughout the year.  I will add information above this section so the latest information will always be at the top.  Websites for Parents will always be at the bottom.  I will add to both!

During "Meet the Teacher", please bring in the items mentioned in the summer letter that you were able to purchase.  It is easier than having your child carry it into school!  The items that belong in your child's pencil box may be placed in there.  The pencil box, composition book, and 2 notebooks will go inside your child's desk.

During Summer assessments, I gave you a book box to decorate so that your child will have a place for the books that are just right for your child.  (If you were unable to go to summer assessments, I will give it to you at Meet the Teacher.)  The box was accompanied by 2 papers.  One paper gave instructions on how to decorate the box.  Please return the box by the end of the first week of school.  The paper about your child should be returned by the first day of school.

Everyday your child should bring a backpack with the communication folder inside.  That is the laminated folder with the frogs on the front and the school calendar on the back.  Please look in the folder for information.  The right side has papers that need to come "right back".  The left side has papers that should be "left at home".  Please return library books to the backpack after you read them so they don't get lost.

If you need more information about class supply lists, check out our school website: http://www.husd.org/Coronado/Coronado.aspx click "Coronado Supply List 2008-2009".

Check Out History in our Backyard!

  Get your Indiana Jones on - San Tan Archaeological Society meeting Aug. 13

The San Tan Chapter of the Arizona Archaeological Society will meet Aug. 13 for a showing of photographs from the Rittenhouse Ruin excavations where Queen Creek’s Home Depot is located today.

The meeting will run from 7-9 p.m. at the San Tan Historical Society Museum, 20435 S. Ellsworth Road, on the southeast corner of Queen Creek and Ellsworth Roads in the Historic Rittenhouse School.

The meeting is free and open to the public. For more information call                            

              (480) 204-2732                      or e-mail ggage@northlandresearch.com.  

 

Websites for Parents

Parenting

http://www.pbs.org/parents/ Great site for information about child development to birthday party planning.

http://family.go.com/  As a huge fan of all things Disney, I like their family magazine website.  It has a wide variety of interesting stuff!

Research

Reading

http://www.colorincolorado.org/ Para padres hablas espanol. (Pardon, mi Espanol es mal!  For parents who speak spanish to help their child with reading.)

http://pbskids.org/lions/parentsteachers/  Get ideas and support to help your child with reading.

Math

http://mathforum.org/dr.math/ Ask Dr Math for tough questions or just curious!

Writing

http://coe.west.asu.edu/students/dcorley/writing/writing.htm Information about Understanding Your Child's Writing

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa4116/is_200410/ai_n9465332 Research behind developmental writing ("kidswrite")



Please e-mail me with anything that you find out on the web that you think other parents will appreciate!  Thanks, Michelle Berkshire

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