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The children take their books home every night to read to their families.  It is very exciting to see the children progress from learning the letters and sounds of the alphabet to learning how to read words.  We are working very hard in Reading class and also at home.  Our Kindergarten motto is "the more you practice, the better you read"!
• We celebrated the letter "D" by having a "Donuts for Dads" Party in our classrooms January 21.  The children invited their dads, grandpas and friends for a fun donut party and to show off their classroom!  Thanks so much for all who attended!
• We are working very hard in Math class, learning the numbers 1-30.  This can be a difficult concept, so we practice the numbers in many different ways.  Math in Kindergarten is very "hands on" to ensure that learning takes place -  and it's a lot of fun too!
• High School students are given the opportunity to volunteer at the Elementary School during their free time.  We are so pleased to have two seniors helping in Kindergarten!  Sadie Hanna is in Mrs. Gibbs' room and Skyler Bonn is with Mrs. Swisher.  We really appreciate their help!  We keep them very busy!
• In Science we are learning how animals live in the winter.  We read all about bears and how they hibernate.  Did you know that female bears have their young every January - right in the middle of their hibernation!  After such a strenuous ordeal, they go right back to sleep!  We made some "sleeping bears" and put them in our classroom caves! 
• Kindergarten is a very busy place!
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• 2^nd Grade - Jane Kroll and Anne Zoellner
• Welcome 2014!!  Our New School Year began with an additional day of Christmas vacation.  With the extremely dangerous cold/wind chill, our Monday, Jan. 6^th start was canceled for one day.  We started on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2014. 
• Along with the New Year came a new reading book.  Our Reading series is divided into 2 big books.  The students finished the first book before Christmas break. When they returned to school they found their next new book waiting for them - what a great way to begin the New Year.  The first two stories, "Head, Body, Legs: A Story From Liberia" and "Officer Buckle and Gloria", helped our students see how working together is much better then working by yourself.  The illustrations were used to help tell the story.  What great examples for our beginning authors/illustrators.
• We began writing cursive!  The students have been waiting "forever" to do this.  The series we use begins with the easier letters, giving the students the feel of writing in cursive and then advances to the more complex.  With practice and patience,

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