Ruhnke Review for 4/18/22
651-771-8494 aruhnke@stjeromeschool.org
What We are Learning:
Reading/Phonics: We have been learning to “Tap” out words. This is exciting since they will need to know this skill to figure out words they do not know. For example, using your thumb and fingers, to tap out the word ‘mop’ your child should tap the /m/ using their thumb and pointer finger, the /o/ using the thumb and middle finger, then the /p/ using the thumb and the third or ring finger. They would say each letter sound then blend it together to form the whole word! Practice this at home with your child. The more they do this, the quicker and better they will become at reading!!
Also, We have been working on Phonics by learning Rhyme Production, Blending Phonemes, Isolating Medial (middle) sounds, Substituting Initial Phonemes, and Deleting Phonemes. We continue to learn Onset Fluency (beginning sound), Ending Fluency (ending sound in a word), Blending words, Segmenting Phonemes, Adding Phonemes, Letter Naming & the sound they make. We have learned all the letters of the alphabet.
Please encourage your child to write the letters the correct way so they will not have to relearn them. Thanks!
Reading/CKLA: We finished the unit on Plants. Now we will begin a unit on Farms. We will be reading and discussing stories such as: “Old MacDonald Has a Farm,” and the different animals on the farm. We will also read & discuss “All Kinds of Crops,” “The Little Read Hen,” “The Seasons of Farming,” and From Farm to Table.”
Math: We will begin a unit on Graphing when we return to school after Easter. Vocabulary: fewest, survey, picture graph, real graph, as many, bar graph, more likely, less likely.
Please continue to practice addition and subtraction with your child. Without practice they will forget how to add and subtract and, as you know, they will need to know these math concepts for the rest of their lives. Please take out those addition & subtraction flash-cards that I gave you with the memory/sight words back in August, and work with your child so that they become adept at adding and subtracting. Thank you!
Religion: Jesus Is God the Son, Miracles of Jesus
Winter Outerwear
Please make sure your child is coming to school every day with 1. Snow Pants 2. Boots 3. Mittens 4. Hat 5. Jacket. Spring in Minnesota is so unpredictable. One day it is sunny, beautiful and warm, the next day it’s cloudy, dreary, snowy, and cold! Please continue to send the 5 winter-outerwear until the end of April. The 5 items can stay at the school until we’re sure the students won’t need them anymore this year! THANK YOU!
Reading At Home
By this time of the school year, your child should be reading out loud to you. Not you reading to them (although you may continue to read to them, that’s great), BUT, they NEED to be reading the 20 minutes daily out loud to you).
They should be reading at an A , B, or C level. Please only use these leveled books with your child, or they will become frustrated at it being too difficult.
You will find leveled books in the Scholastic book flyers. They usually come in packs with levels A, B, C, and D in a pack. Usually there are approximately twelve books in a pack for $12-15 dollars, or 16 books for $16-20 dollars, which is a wonderful deal. Otherwise, you can go to your local public library and talk to the librarian and ask him/her for level A & B books.
When your child is reading at the right level, they should be able to read most of the words easily since many will be the sight words that they have been working on. The words they don’t know, they should “tap it out” or “stretch (sound) it out.” What I mean by this is: Let’s use the word “cat.” Your child should say the sound of each letter /c/-/a/-/t/ and “tap it out” using their fingers, or “stretch (sound) it out.” Then after they stretch it out, while tapping it, 3 or 4 times, then tell them to blend it together until they can say the word. They know how to do this. We have been doing this in class now for quite some time. Please don’t automatically tell your child the word. They NEED to be able to figure it out on their own. Let them use the techniques they have been taught at school first.
The more they do this, the better & faster they will become.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask me.
Send A Water Bottle
PLEASE send a water bottle to school with your child. The weather is beginning to get warmer! And, Because of Covid, all drinking-fountains are not in working order. Students get hot and thirsty. Without having a water bottle, it is hard to get a drink, and the school can’t hand out paper cups to 175+ students many times per day. Thank you.
Scholastic Book Orders
Scholastic Book Orders for this month will be DUE April 25th. The fliers will come home with your child next week in their Take-Home-Folders. If you would like to place an order; the easiest way to do so is online. Use code RGVYW.
Star of the Week
Every Kindergarten student has had a turn being the “Star of the Week.” So, from now until the end of the school year, each Day there will be a different student as the “Star of the Day!” They will help lead the calendar and morning routine, they will be the line-leader, and they get to be my “helper” for that day!!
March Reading Logs were due Friday, April 1st.
If you have not done so yet, please send your child’s completed reading log back to school right away! It was due on Friday, April 1st. PLEASE stay on top of this. It is so important that your child is reading each and every day!! Thank you.
Memory/Sight Words:
Your child will have approximately four(4) Memory/Sight words to learn each week. Memory/Sight words are words we find in every sentence we read. Students must know these words to be able to read a sentence. Students should memorize these words, NOT sound them out. Please practice these words(4 each week) every day for 10 minutes, both reading them and spelling them.
a, I, to, the, in, it, is, at, as, on, and, you, be, of, we, for, if, do he she, me, my, us, up, an, am, by, or, go, no, so, see, all, but, can, not, are, his, her, was, like, love, him, look, did, has, get, got, had, that, they, with, saw, say, sit, any, ask, big, day, may, from, have, one, this, said, your, what, when, how, it’s, were, will, them, then, there, their, use, out, many, come, some, made, make, into, more, could, would, down, find than, about, these, two, time, first, here, just, little, where, went, want, very, way, our, who, why, yes, off, now
Egyptian Dress-Up Day
On April 29th, the Kindergarten Class will dress up as “Egyptians,” which is part of our Humanities Timeline studies. Don’t worry, parents, there is nothing you have to do for this event! When you brought in the pillow cases for one of the items listed on the Kindergarten school items list, this is what I used to make the outfits!! Eh Blu, my wonderful helper, helped me cut out the outfits to fit your child! They also made “Egyptian Jewelry” using paper towel & toilet paper rolls, then painting a pattern on them. This will be a fun experience for them!!
School Uniform
Parents, PLEASE make sure your child is wearing the correct uniform on the correct days. They may wear the Phy. Ed./Gym uniform on Phy. Ed./Gym days which is on Monday & Tuesdays. They MUST wear the Full, nice/good uniform on Wednesdays (Mass Days), And on Thursdays and Fridays, they should be wearing their regular uniform. Many students have been wearing out-of-uniform clothing such as pink or purple or green pants, or shirts. Or some have worn their gym uniform on the days they do Not have gym, or clothing that isn’t part of the uniform at all. Please check your child’s attire before they leave for school each day. THANK YOU!!
Party with a Purpose: April 23, 2022
We are excited to once again host this year's Spring Fundraiser - Party with a Purpose virtually (online) so that you, your family, and all those friends and alumni scattered about the states can tune into this great evening. Preparations are underway! If you would like to help by donating an item to our silent auction please contact the office or drop it/them off to the front office.
Our fundraising goal of $75,000 will be directed towards Financial Assistance and Bus Transportation for the school. We invite you to partner with us in one or more of the following ways (all proceeds benefit St. Jerome School students and are tax deductible):
1. Join us (virtually) for the live stream program starting at 6:45 PM on April 23rd
2. Donate silent auction items/gift cards
3. Sponsor the event to help offset the production expenses
Specialist Schedule
Monday=Phy Ed/Gym
Tuesday=Phy Ed/Gym & Music
Wednesday=”The Forge”(Science & Art)
Thursday= Music & Library
Friday=”The Forge”(Science & Art)
Upcoming Events:
4/14 Holy Thursday-Jesus had the Last Supper with the Apostles.
4/15 NO SCHOOL: Good Friday-Jesus carried His cross to His Death.
4/17 Easter Sunday! Rejoice, Jesus has Risen!
4/18 NO SCHOOL: Easter Monday
4/23 Party with a Purpose!! This will be a VIRTUAL Event this year! EVERYONE may join us. Please invite family, friends-anyone that may be interested in Saint Jerome Classical School. We are excited to welcome all!!
4/25 We will take our Reading NWEA test today. PLEASE make sure your child has a good night’s sleep the night before so that he/she will be alert and ready for the day. Also, make sure your child eats a good breakfast. Thank you!
4/29. Kindergarten students will be dressing up as Egyptians today, which is part of our Humanities Timeline studies!
5/2 Today we will take our Math NWEA test. Once again, PLEASE make sure your child has a good night’s sleep the night before so that he/she will be alert and ready for the day. Also, make sure your child eats a good breakfast. Thank you!
5/3. Make-Up NWEA Testing.
5/6. May Crowning of Our Virgin Mary, Queen of Heaven.
5/8 Mother’s Day-Have a beautiful day to all you Mothers & Grandmothers!!
5/11. Kindergarten will be planning the all-school Mass. You are welcome to join us at 9:45am. Some Kindergarten students will be saying the Readings, Responsorial Psalm, or Prayers of the Faithful. If your child comes home with any of these readings (next week), please help him/her practice so that they will be able to read with clarity, focus, understanding, & annunciation so that all will hear clearly what is being read. Thank you!
5/18. Grandparent/Special Friend Day. (More information to come soon!)
5/30 NO SCHOOL—Memorial Day