Important Upcoming Dates:

Wednesday, March 31 - Spirit Day

Thursday, April 1 - Field Trip to the Salvador Dali Museum

Friday, April 2 - Field Day - So far, it looks like we will have nice weather on Friday. Let's keep our fingers crossed! If you have forgotten your child's team color, please let me know.

Monday, April 5 - Class Picture Day - The 8 x 10 photo is $14; goofy shot is $9 or a package with one of each is $22. To order, please look on E-bytes for the order form and return it to school with your check made payable to: Shorecrest Parent Association (SPA). For accounting purposes, only checks will be accepted. Please write one check per child, no single checks for multiple family members, please. Orders must be received by Friday, April 9, 2010. The photographer charges a late fee of $5 for orders received after April 9. No orders will be accepted after April 30.

Wednesday, April 21 - Friday, April 23 - Celebrate the Arts - More information to follow

Monday, April 26 - No School

Wednesday, April 28 - Spirit Day

Friday, May 14 - First Grade Program - "Commotion in the Ocean" - Don't miss it!

He's Here!

My daughter, Tara, and son-in-law, Chuck have given me the most precious gift. Please indulge me while I bombard you with pictures of my first grandchild! I couldn't choose just one. At least I didn't post all 574 pictures that I took!

Owen Charles Jeroloman was born at 2:34 p.m. on March 12. He weighed 7 pounds and was 20 inches long. He has beautiful Gator:) blue eyes! I was able to witness his birth and will never forget such an incredible experience. Being a grandparent is everything you have ever heard! I can't begin to describe the love I feel for this beautiful little boy!

Thank you for letting me gush!

I love Grandma this much!

Introducing Tyson (my granddog) to Owen.

Well, of course we had to give him his first Gator blanket!

He came home in his monogrammed Auburn jersey onesie - his parents are Auburn grads.

Proud Grandma soon after his birth!

Volunteers for March 29 - April 2:

• Tuesday - Art - Radha Moorthy-Clink (12:05)
• Thursday - Library Check-out - Fai MacDougald (2:05)
• Friday - Math Game - Twila Davis (9:00)
• Friday - Parent Reader - Gwen Baran (2:20)

I have loved my time with Owen and will miss him terribly. But, I have also missed my other 16 children and look forward to being back on Monday!

See you soon -
Susan

Please Subscribe to the Lower Division Blog!

Dear Parents,

The Lower School administration uses Online Community to communicate with our families. Dr. Bianco and Mrs. Weinman's letters and Lower Division reminders are posted on a Lower Division blog. This is the school administration's main form of communication, so EVERYONE should subscribe. In order to have access, you will need to subscribe to the Lower Division blog.

Directions:
First log into the Online Community. After logging into the Online Community, go to Community > Groups > Lower Division Group from the green menu bar. First, click on the icon "Join Group." Next, scroll down the page and click on the Subscribe button. This will send you e-mail alerts whenever I write a new blog post.

If you need further help, please contact Anna Baralt at acb@shorecrest.org
You may also view this video for a tutorial: http://www.shorecrest.org/?page=tutorial_subscr_blog

I hope this helps!

Susan

Field Day Update

Field Day Update

We are watching the weather closely as the forecast calls for heavy rain Friday morning. We will be making the call as to whether or not we will reschedule at 7:30 a.m. the morning of the event. Dr. Bianco will post a note on her blog. A make up date has been scheduled for April 2, 2010 if necessary.

Math, Computer Research, Pizza, Ice Cream - Wow! First Grade is Fun!

During our math explorations on Friday, a favorite activity was "Make My Design". One child chooses 6 pattern blocks and his partner has to take the same blocks. The first partner creates a design with his blocks behind the shield. The other partner has to try to recreate the same design with only verbal directions from his partner. So cool! Try it with your child at home! You will be amazed at the "thinking" that takes place!

Success!

Mrs. Bottoni had a blast playing Coin Exchange with the children.

Thursday was "Dress Down Day" for first grade, but that did not stop the learning in our class. We are learning how to write a research report. Here the children work with partners at the computer to research an animal. They completed a graphic organizer with information on the animal's anatomy, habitat, diet, and other interesting facts. During Writer's Workshop on Monday, they will be using the graphic organizer to help them complete a research report on their chosen animal.

In case you are wondering why we are not in uniform, First grade won the contest for the most tickets bought for the Big Event! So, Thursday was a very special day for us! First graders were able to "dress down" and wear our favorite clothes. We also had a pizza party at lunch and then ice cream sundaes! Yum! Thank you to all who helped First Grade to win this special day!




Volunteers for March 8 - 12:

• Tuesday - Art - Erin Ross (12:05)
• Thursday - Library Check-out - Jodie Gayoso (2:05)
• Friday - Math Game cancelled due to Field Day
• Friday - Parent Reader - Kerry Kriseman (2:20)

Field Day will take place on the morning of Friday, March 12. Your child needs to wear a shirt to represent the color of their team. Information came home last week. They may wear that shirt for the day and do not need to change into uniforms.

Spring Break March 15 - 19! Have fun! I'm hoping to be able to spend spring break with my first grandchild if he decides it is time to enter the world! So, just in case, I will go ahead and list the volunteers for the week after spring break.

Volunteers for March 22 - 26:

• Tuesday - Art - Radha Moorthy-Clink (12:05)
• Thursday - Library Check-out - Anne Dowling (2:05)
• Friday - Math Game - Perry Ross - (9:00) This may be cancelled or postponed due to Relay for Life activities. Please check with me during that week. If I am not at school due to playing grandma, you can e-mail me and I will let you know!
• Friday - Parent Reader - Sharon Cannella (2:20)

Relay for Life takes place Friday, March 26.

Author Celebration!

We proudly display our published books!

Mark Teague is a well known illustrator of children's books. Recently we read several of his How Do Dinosaurs... books. Scholastic Book Clubs teamed up with Mark Teague to have a contest for students to come up with a new book title for the Dinosaur series. We have a class of artistically talented children so we decided to enter! Each child had to come up with a new book title as well as design the cover for the book. The titles that they came up with were all so different and very creative! After I mailed in our entries, each child spent time during Writer's Workshop writing and revising the book for their title. Several children shared them at Town Meeting last week. Today we shared our books during an author celebration with our third grade reading buddies! Wish us luck! Contest winners are announced in late March. We are keeping our fingers crossed!

Channing shares the book that he wrote and illustrated.

Samuel G. and Hannah share their books.
We also shared ice cream with our third grade reading buddies!