Primary Language Class

Hello and welcome to a new school year! I hope that everyone had a

wonderful and relaxing summer! I know I enjoyed my time with my

family! I was so thrilled to see my returning students and I am very

excited to get to know my new students.

We certainly have had an exciting start to our new school year.  

It has been a very busy few days. We have started some

getting-to- know-you activities, talked about our summer holidays,

discussed school and classroom rules and procedures, and began

to establish routines within the classroom. We even practiced a fire

drill and lock down so we know what to do when the first one happens.

We are off to a great start and I know it is going to be a

wonderful school year!!

In the next few weeks we will dive right into our learning.

I will be teaching the students about reading and writing strategies

and we will be working on our oral language skills daily. We have

already begun talking about letters and sounds and how they work

together to make words. We have practiced rhyming and syllables

each day.

We read a book called Have You Filled a Bucket Today?

We spoke about ways to be kind and make others happy and

how these acts of kindness will, in turn, increase our own happiness! 

We will begin weekly word wall words shortly. The students will

complete activities within the classroom to practice and learn their words.

The words will be sent home each week for you to practice with your

children. I will write the students words in a book each week and you

can review them with your children. There is no specific activity that

will be required of them, the words are sent home for reinforcement

and to keep you in the loop about what your children are learning.

Feel free to read the words with your children, write the words with them

or simply bring them up in conversation and talk about their spelling.

We will also begin our Snuggle Up and Read Program soon. I will be

sending home their reading folders with a book for your child to read.

For the new families, the concept of the Snuggle Book is that I send

home a book for you to snuggle up and read with your child.  While

I am sure you have tons of books at home, this is a book that I have

chosen to be at your child's reading level. The idea is that you read the

book with your child a few times until they can read it to you independently. 

This may be right away or it may take a few days.

However long it takes.....no problem! Please keep the book until your

child feels comfortable reading it on their own, then you can return it

for a new book. In the folder there is a place for you to write whether

the book was too easy, too hard or just right.  Please let me know so I

can continue to choose appropriate books for each child!

We will begin learning about our Daily Five workstations. This is valuable

learning time that we use to focus on each child’s individual goals. The

stations are set out with each child’s individual learning needs in mind.

It gives them time to work on skills at their level!

Also in the next few weeks we will be learning some new games to

help with our learning. We love to make learning feel like playing!

The students are working hard and I am really proud of them. 

It is a lot of work coming to two different schools! I would like to thank

you for your dedication to your child's learning. Our little class can be

best described as a family. We take care of each other and learn from

one another. Our situation is unique and beautiful. I feel so fortunate

to be in a class where I can focus on each child, assisting each one to

meet their goals. I am looking forward to learning with them throughout

this school year. I know it will be amazing!

Here are just a few little reminders:

Have you checked us out on Twitter yet?

@MrsFaloonPLC

There are tons of pictures and snippets of what we do everyday. 

Also, remember that our blog is mrsfaloonplc.blogspot.ca. I will not be

printing out blog posts anymore, so please check us out! 

We will also be using the SEESAW app again as a way for you to see

what is happening in the class. You will be able to sign up and get

notifications when your child adds work to their folder. There will be

more information sent home about that shortly. Stay tuned!

Transportation: If your child is absent from our Primary Language Class,

it is very important that you call the transportation office to cancel the

STS drivers (arrival and departure).

The phone number is 613-723- 9677.

Does your child have indoor shoes at St. John the Apostle Catholic School?  

We are requesting that each student brings an extra pair of shoes that

could be left in our classroom. The shoes should be shoes he/she can

put on easily on their own (i.e. without laces if you child is unable to tie

his/her shoes yet).  This will help keep

the class floors neat and tidy.  Please be sure to write your child’s

name in the shoes clearly. Please let me know if you have any concerns

about this.

Please label your child’s belongings. It is very helpful to have your child’s

name in their coats, sweaters, lunch bags, backpacks, shoes and boots!

IEP’s

Your child’s Individual Education Plan is developed in collaboration

between the homeschool team, you the parents, and me. The homeschool

will send home a draft copy of the IEP in October.  Please take the time to

read it carefully. Please remember your input is very important. Please note

that a different teacher from St. John the Apostle will be reporting on the

Social Studies curriculum for our students.

I hope everyone had a nice week. The first week back is always busy and

hectic and wonderful! Please remember that I am happy to help if you have

any questions or concerns.

Sarah Faloon