December Reminders

The following are just a few reminders for parents and students for after break. We have a few things due in early December. I'll leave this post up as a reminder.

November Reading Calendars

The students December Reading Calendars will be due on Monday, December 1. The day after Thanksgiving Break.

Christmas Store

We will go to the Christmas Store on Tuesday, December 2. It costs $0.50 for two gifts.

Food Drive

The food drive runs until Monday, December 8 if you have nonperishable foods you'd like to donate.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Food Drive

Early Release Reminder

Just a reminder that we have an early release tomorrow (Wednesday, Thursday 26). Have a Happy Thanksgiving and Go Lions!

Food Drive

The annual IGEMS food drive will begin on Monday, November 24th and will run through December 8th.  The collection includes any nonperishable canned or boxed items you may wish to donate.  All food donated stays in the Iowa-Grant school district.  As always, thank you for your generosity!

Mrs. Belken and the Above the Influence Students

Updates

Calendar

There is certainly more to come in December, but here are some highlights for next couple of months:

• Nov. 25 - RIF Books - 1:00 p.m.
• Nov. 26 - Early Release - 12:30 p.m.
• Nov. 27 - Thanksgiving
• Dec. 2 - Christmas Store - 1 p.m.
• Dec. 11 - Christmas Concert - 7 p.m.
• Dec. 16 - Concert Make-Up
• Dec. 23 -Early Release 12:30 p.m.
• Dec. 24-Jan. 4 - Break!
• Jan. 1 - New Years
• Jan. 5 - Return to School
• Jan. 16 - End 2nd Quarter

RIF (Reading is Fun)

We will be having a RIF distribution next week. This is when the students go with the reading specialists and are able to pick out a FREE book! They usually have little reading activities as well. Many local businesses are very generous and donate money to the RIF program.

Amazon Shopper?

If you use Amazon during Black Friday, Cyber Monday, or any other time of the year you can help Iowa-Grant. When you use the link below, a portion of the purchase will go toward Iowa-Grant. Just an FYI.

Amazon Smile

Have a Great Weekend!

Christmas Notes

It usually seems so early to send out the holiday letters, but with the weather we have been having lately it feels like January already. I will be sending the information below and a few more details home on Friday too.  

Christmas Store

When:  December 2nd at 1:00
How Much:  $0.25 or $0.50
What:  Students are able to buy up to two gifts at the store for $0.25 each.  It gives students the opportunity to buy gifts for their parents or guardians on their own.  Volunteers wrap the gifts and prepare them to take home. 

Book Donation

When:  December 22nd or 23rd
How Much:  $5
What:  We have decided for our gift exchange this year to donate a book to the library for everyone to read. Inside the book have the students put their name and 2014 a way to remember who donated the book. We discussed whether they could give a used book from their personal library or goodwill, and as long as the book is still in good shape the kids decided that it would not matter whether the book was new or used. We did discuss that if they buy a new book to look for paper back and not getting a hard cover to keep the price down. Please wrap the books up and we'll go around the room taking turns opening the books that go in the room. I will also find a new and exciting book to donate.

Party Committee

When:  December 22nd or 23rd
Who:  Gary, Braiden, Teejay, Madalyn, Julia, and Richard
What:  These committee members will bring drinks and treats or plan games and activities for our Christmas party.  We won't start planning until December though.

Christmas Concert

When: December 11 at 7:00 (make-up day would be Dec. 16)

Who: The whole elementary

What: This is just a reminder that the annual Christmas Concert is on Dec. 11 at 7:00. It's always great to see all the kids dressed up. It is also a chance for my students to meet my wife and kids, which they are always excited about.

Language Arts

We are finishing up our second unit in Language Arts this week. We will begin testing over the next few days. I try to split the test up into small, manageable pieces. We will start this Thursday and finish the test on Monday and Tuesday before Thanksgiving Break.

Because of the short week and taking the unit test, we will not have spelling next week, November 24-26.

Congratulations!

Congratulations to Ashley!

She earned the award for October's Responsible Student at our P.B.I.S.  Character Education Assembly today.

Next month's award will be given to someone who demonstrates caring and kindness.

First Grade Christmas Store

The following is a note from our first grade team:

Dear Families,                                                                                              

Each year the 1^st Grade Christmas Store gives children of IGEMS the opportunity to purchase a small gift for parents or caregivers.  This wonderful tradition is made possible when families send us their gently used items to be possible gifts.  We are asking that if you ever have items at home that you would like to part with, please bring your items to the IGEMS office marked “Christmas Store”.  We would gladly receive what you no longer need:  candles, small trinkets, books, caps for Dads, jewelry, Christmas decorations,  decks of cards, potholders, kitchen knick knacks, small towels, pocket tools…whatever you think might delight a little shopper!

Thank you for your generosity.  When cleaning out a cupboard, closet, or box please keep our IGEMS Christmas Store as a grateful resource to receive your “treasures”.  If you want to pass on this information to the other relatives in your child’s life we would appreciate it.

Thank you,

IGEMS 1^st Grade Teachers

Mrs. Wasley    Mrs. Pierick    Mrs. Zajicek    Mrs. Herges

Busy Week

We have a busy week this week with several different activities going on outside of our normal routine.

Tuesday - We will take our DRC Test, which is a practice test to the new Smarter Balanced test in late winter. They will take the reading portion of the DRC Testing on Tuesday morning and it is supposed to take them about an hour (although it is not timed).
 - We also have the Veteran's Day program on Tuesday at 10:15.

Wednesday - We have the math portion of the DRC Test. It will begin at 10:30 and is also supposed to take about an hour.

Thursday - The High School will be doing their practice performance of Beauty and the Beach. We will go over to the newly renovated High School to see the play at 9:00 a.m.

Enter the Kingdom of Books!

The Scholastic Book Fair will be at IGEMS next week. Your family is encouraged to visit the fair during Parent Teacher Conferences on Thursday, November 6^th or Tuesday, November 11^th to purchase books for your home library. The fair will be open from 4:00-8:00 p.m. both evenings.

 (Doors will be closing at 7:45 p.m. to ensure all shoppers are served in a timely manner)

The Fair will also be open Friday, Nov. 7^th and Monday Nov 10^th from 8 a.m.-4 p.m.

If you are unable to visit the fair, and still wish to purchase books, you may also visit the bookfair online. The online fair is open for ordering from Oct. 31-Nov.19^th.  The orders will be shipped November 20^th and be delivered directly to your child at school.

http://bookfairs.scholastic.com/homepage/iowagrant

There is NO tax or shipping charge when ordering online!

******Reminder: This is a full-price bookfair****

The Buy One Get One Free bookfair will be back in the spring.

Updates

Dress Up Day

On Wednesday, November 5 we will be having dress up day for our next Paws activity. We picked a day that we didn't have gym again. That way students don't have to worry about playing in dress clothes or bringing an extra set of shoes in.

Reading Calendars

Congratulations to the students who turned in their reading calendars for October. They will be bringing home their Pizza Hut Book-It coupons tonight.

I sent out the November calendars last Friday.

Parent/Teacher Conferences

I will send home an updated schedule for Parent/Teacher Conferences tonight. Thursday, November 6 is very crowded, and I will work hard to keep on time and task throughout the night. If you haven't turned in your time please do that soon.

Report Cards

Report cards will be sent home on Wednesday, November 5. Some parents chose to have their child's report card sent home via e-mail this year. If your child does not bring home a paper copy this is probably why. If you are missing the report card please let me know.