Recess Buddies

Woohoo! Just had my first meeting with this year’s Recess Buddies. We will be starting next week. I updated the Recess Buddy site with the schedule and other information. Let me know if you have any questions! Otherwise, I’ll try to share stories as the year goes on:)

Have a great weekend!

-Ms Wales

Weekly Update: 9-24-15

Happy Fall!

We are continuing to hone in our schedule and build more and more academic rigor into our day. This was a fairly “regular” week and students really seem to be settling into the routine.

Those of you who had me a few years ago may remember News2You, an adapted newspaper and online news site with current events for kids. This is a neat resource that provides visual supports at different levels, helping to make current events accessible to students with varying needs. I will be using this resource during our “story” time on Thursdays and Fridays. You will notice the printed version of the paper coming home each week. You can work on all sorts of reading skills with your child with this paper including one-to-one correspondence (pointing to each word or picture as you read), vocabulary (using the pictures and/or the words), and answering questions about a passage. You can build on the topic by Googling online to introduce the meaningful use of technology and research. Let me know if you’d like suggestions how to read with your child, relating to their IEP goals.

Please remember our school’s sick policy. If your child is going to be absent, make sure to call Edison’s attendance line (see parent resources). Please do not send your child to school within 24 hours of vomiting, diarrhea, and/or a fever. Let me know if you have questions about this. We want to make sure everyone stays as healthy as possible!

Make sure to check out the parent resources section of this website. There are many important links and phone numbers. I am adding the “procedural safeguards” I share with you at IEP meetings. Always a good resource to take some time with to keep you in the loop of your (many) rights as a parent!

Have a wonderful weekend!

-Ms Wales

Weekly Update: 9-16-15

Hello!

It’s hard to believe we’re wrapping up our fourth week of school! Here are some notes from the week:

• We are making our transition from strictly rules, routines, and behavior focus to more academic focus and what is will be our “official” schedule (at least for now!). The amount of time engaged in group work has increased, and for the most part students are doing great with the new challenges! We are still getting our feet under us in many ways; feel free to reach out if you have questions where things stand with your child in this.
• We started having 2nd graders join our “Friendship Time” for a 15 minute block in the morning. The goals during this time are to increase interaction, communication, and engagement with peers…while having fun of course!
• We started a Social Studies lesson modeled after first-grade’s lessons and standards. This week we have been talking about rules and responsibilities–particularly how these impact our ability to stay safe and how our actions cause something to happen (cause and effect).
• I collected Recess Buddy applications this week and hopefully will have Buddies paired up and started in the next week or two. I’ve known this group of 5th graders well since my first year at Edison, and there is a lot of enthusiasm to start the program!
• Again, there have been and will be several days where I have meetings or give class talks at the end of the day. Thank you for your patience and understanding when this impacts notes and/or my end of the day conversations. Never hesitate to ask questions!

Thank you for continuing to support us all in this first month of school! Have a great end to the week!

-Ms Wales

End of Today

Hello!

I was meeting with 5th grade classes to talk about Recess Buddies at the end of the day today. I apologize for the lack of end-of-the-day notes and the hurried dismissal. Talking with classes is an important part of helping others understand and interact with our students. There will be a couple of other days in coming weeks that I will be meeting during the same time. Never hesitate to reach out if you have questions about your child’s day, especially when I am unable to write notes.

Thanks!

-Ms Wales

First Weekly Update: 9-3-15

Hello everyone!

What a great day for a weekly update…I am so proud of the ENTIRE class today! This morning everyone participated, listened, and communicated the most I’ve seen this year. We are still working hard on learning rules and routines and getting into the school groove. Though there are still plenty of ups and downs with this, everyone is making gains and I am just SO proud of them!

You may have noticed your child may come home covered in stickers. This means they were doing great sitting, listening, and/or working during group work! I give these out as I lead the group to my super star listeners as we go. (Some students do not like the stickers or end up taking them off, so if you don’t see any, don’t worry, everyone is doing great!).

Thank you for your flexibility and patience as we get our feet under us. The schedule, communication pages, activities, and overall routines are still being built as I learn more about the students and they learn the expectations. It usually takes about a month the really get rolling with what feels like the “real” schedule. Never hesitate to ask questions about the process until then, but also realize that we’re still in the “getting started” stage.

A few notes/to-dos:

1. Please make sure to send the “Home-School Communication” binder back to school daily. This is how you and I will communicate about your child, and also how we will send information home.
2. Please send or email me a family picture if you have not done so already. If you do not have a picture, feel free to draw with your child and write the names. I need something that will be meaningful to them and help me facilitate communication about their family for some friend/sharing activities. I also want everyone to have some of their family/culture represented in the classroom. Students usually seem very excited to see this in the room.
3. As we get started, much of the class is participating in a snack time. It would be great to offer some variety and exciting choices then. If you are willing to send in some snacks for the class, we would appreciate it! (Thank you to those who did send some to share)
4. Several IEP meetings will be coming up in the next month. I will be in contact with you as your child’s approaches. This is probably our most important meeting of the year. Please stay tuned and let me know if you have any questions about the process or your rights.

Thank you for helping the year get off to a great start! I can’t get over how much growth is happening in just two weeks. Your support is so important for this. THANK YOU!

-Ms Wales