Read about the use of Bugles to help beginning readers. This information is found in greater detail under Class Message Board. This is located on the right side of this web page!  
Credit for the adjacent picture is given to

http://www.google.com/search?q=bugles+food&hl=en&gbv=2&tbm=isch&ei=x2BZToKxGM2Dtgfrxa2VDA&start=21&sa=N

Would you like to assist our school with earning cash for items such as books, computers, and playground equipment? Find out about this great program called Box Tops for Education. You can help by sending in the Box Tops Labels found on many products that are commonly bought at the grocery store. Clip the Box Tops Labels and send them to our school. For more information go to this link:    http://www.boxtops4education.com/
Another way to help is by registering at the above link. For each person that registers, our school receives points that can be turned into cash for our students. Your support is much appreciated!    

School begins at 7:45 a.m. each morning and dismisses at 2:15 each afternoon. We have common planning times for our faculty/staff members on some Wednesday afternoons. School will release early on these specific days. During the 2011-2012 school year, Wednesday Early Release Days will only be held on the following dates:


Wed., Sept. 7, 2011 
Wed., Oct. 5, 2011 
Wed., Nov. 2, 2011
Wed., Dec. 7, 2011
Wed., Feb. 1, 2012
Wed., Mar. 7, 2012
Wed., Apr. 4, 2012 
Wed., May 2, 2012
On Early Release days, the primary school will dismiss at 12:45.


Important Dates:

Happy New Year!           

Thursday, Jan. 12 Half Day for Students; Parent/Teacher Conferences

Friday, Jan. 13 Teacher Workday and Conference Day * No School for Students*

Monday, Jan. 16 Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday; No School for Students/
Teachers  

Tuesday, Jan. 17 Second Semester Begins

Tuesday, Jan. 31  Reading Night/Art Show 6:00 pm
   


Credits for the clip art used on this web page: 


http://www.amazing-animations.com/animated-newyear.php

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/clipart/default.aspx

http://www.clipartguide.com/_pages/0511-0901-1216-3016.html

Do you have any concerns regarding safety issues at our school?  If so, a helpline has been created for your use. Feel free to call this helpline number at  1-800-418-6423 Ext. # 359.

                                                                          

                                                                                               

                           

It is hard to believe that we are working in the second nine weeks of the 2011-2012 school year.  Teachers are continuing to review as well as practice our procedures and routines each day so that students can learn to their fullest potential! Our school has a strong positive behavior approach which is successful. This process is based on teamwork which models correct behaviors. These behaviors are expected of the students. Children earn Plastic Panther Coins for displaying acts of appropriate behavior. The expectations are as follows:  Be respectful.   Be responsible.   Be safe.
                                                                                                             

When faculty members see the students following any of the above expectations, they randomly give out the plastic coins and explain to the child the reason that he/she is receiving the coin. The coins are saved and traded for various prizes. The positive incentives are great ways to improve discipline at our school. Read more about this behavior process under Rules and Consequences under Class Web Pages.    


Educating your child is a combined effort between home and school. So, please feel free to contact me at any time in order to discuss ways to help your child become more academically successful. 
 
Please encourage your child to take learning seriously. Let this school year begin with a definite respect and dedication to education. Learning is so important. Kindly remind your child to remain focused on his/her academics while at school. Once again, remember that educating your child is a joint effort between home and school!  Reading and math are such important subjects for your child to learn.  In today's demanding society, it is more essential than ever for students to be proficient in the skills and strategies for reading and computing math.  Once more, if you need ideas for helping your child with these subjects at home, please do not hesitate to contact me.  As always, I thank you for your support. 

Help build your child's oral reading fluency! Encourage your child to practice these phrases, and he/she will probably become a more proficient reader. Feel free to download and print the phrases.

The Fry phrases were acquired from the following website:
http://www.flashcardexchange.c
om/flashcards/view/260527

Resarchers have studied our English language and identified the words most often found in books. If your child learns these words, then he/she will become a more effective reader. Download the lists. You can make flash cards for your child!

The word lists were obtained from the following website:
http://rbeaudoin333.homestead.
com/sightvocab_1.html#anchor_3
74

Your child is encouraged to read daily. Students can record what they read onto one of these reading logs.

Often when parents listen to their young child read they are unsure how to be supportive especially when the child comes to a word he/she does not recognize. One of the most natural things to do when this happens is to simply tell the child the word. However, it is better to coach your child to figure out that unknown word. All of our teachers at BLPS have been trained in ways to encourage children to figure out unknown words. Teachers give them hints or reminders about what to do. You will find these suggetions in this folder. Just click onto this folder named Reading Strategies, and print them to use with your youngster! Your child is already familiar with these helpful hints because his/her teacher uses them. The strategies are listed in order. For example, the first clue to give your child when he/she does not recognize a word is called Eagle Eye! Then, remind the child to look at the picture clues. Praise him/her for figuring out the unknown word. If more help is needed, give the next clue which is Lips the Fish! Continue to offer support and go through the different reading strategies to assist your youngster. Please contact me for more information about how to use these reading strategies.

Credit for the graphics used in the above Reading Strategies is listed below:
http://office.microsoft.com/en
-us/clipart/default.aspx

Content information regarding Reading Strategies was gained from a Balanced Literacy Course which used textbooks written by Irene Fountas and Gay Su Pinnell.