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My name is Maria Hall, or Mrs. Hall.  I am 41 years old.  I am currently a student in the University of Phoenix online Bachelor's program. I have been married to my wonderful husband, Andy, for 18 years, and we have lived in Olivet for the last 13 years.  We have three children, Dominic (15), Everett (12), and Gracie (8) that all attend Olivet Schools.  Mrs. Amey was Dominic's kindergarten teacher and it was the interactions of the teachers at Fern Persons that inspired me to want to become a teacher.  I look forward to learning along with your kiddos as well as teaching them.
#GOEAGLES

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We started the year off strong. We learned a lot about how Eagles S.O.A.R in many different areas of the school. Check out how your kids can S.O.A.R. in  the many different areas below and earn tickets that place them into drawings for some fun prizes! They listened to Mrs. Amey read stories about the first day of school jitters and how scary it can be. They did a great job of being good listeners. We learned about some important routines and procedures that you could ask them about. The first day of school was a success.

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Students can S.O.A.R. on the bus by watching for traffic as they are entering and exiting the bus, staying seated and facing forward, keeping the bus clean, and treating others kindly.

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Students can S.O.A.R. in the hallway by staying in line and walking, going straight to their destination and not stopping at the drinking fountain, ensuring they help keep the hallways clean, and by following the teacher's directions.

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Students can S.O.A.R. in the classroom by walking and not running, actively listening and doing their best work, turning their work in on time, and treating others kindly.

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S.O.A.R.ing in the bathroom means to keep your hands, feet, and objects to yourself, flush the toilet and wash your hands, ensure your paper towels are thrown away and not on the floor, and stay in your own stall to protect your privacy.

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The cafeteria is a place students can S.O.A.R. by staying in their seats, eating their food and sitting quietly until they are excused, cleaning up after themselves, and using good manners.

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The kids wiggled out some energy during large group time. It's difficult sometimes for kids to sit still for extended periods of time (don't we all know that?) and this helps to refocus them, but this also helps them learn to listen to and follow directions.

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The students get the opportunity to learn through play at their own pace. Usually after they get their work done.

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The students really enjoy their lunchtime break from all the hard learning they do in the mornings. Good, nutricious foods refuel their little bodies and minds for more learning in the afternoons.

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Our students love it when their Moms, Dads, Grandmas, and Grandpas come to eat lunch with them, just like Macie's did on Friday.

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Our principal, Mr. Peters, got into a dunk tank on Friday to celebrate students who completed their summer reading and mathematics booklets. Stay tuned towards the end of the year for your child's chance to complete these over the summer too; maybe Mr. Peters will let them dunk him next year too.

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The kids are in full swing earning their S.O.A.R. tickets. Ask your children about them and how they earn them. In case they have forgotten or don't want to tell you (my daughter was horrible about telling me about things that went on at school), S.O.A.R. tickets are tickets that they can earn by doing the things listed on the posters throughout the school. Each grade has a specific color ticket and we are lucky enough to have blue (green would have been better...GO EAGLES). The specialty classes and bus drivers also have their own color tickets to give out. These tickets give the students the chance to be drawn for some pretty cool surprises. This week, they received an extra recess. Javar, Morgan, and Guneet were all drawn for this special recess. The more tickets they earn, the better their chance is for being drawn.

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Mrs. Amey's class gets to learn all about Science from Mrs. Shrontz.  So far they have been able to define what is living and non-living.  Being able to sing Mr. Sun helps get some wiggles out before they begin. Science is on Thursdays.

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This is probably the one I should have videoed, but didn't.  Mrs. Lore is teaching the kids about rhythm and beats using the drums.  It certainly sounded like they were having fun and learning when I popped in on them to snap the picture. They have music two days a week, Tuesdays and Fridays.

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When the weather permits, gym time is outside. It isn't good to keep 25 five and six year olds couped up inside all day long and Mr. Johnson gets their hearts racing and working like it should Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.

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Lain leads his classmates in a game of slap back. Whoever is the "leader" claps their hands in a rhythm and everyone tries to clap it back to them while they count. It passes the time until the teacher comes back to collect their students and the kids love being the "leader".

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Remington

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Easton

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The kids have enjoyed learning about the library and will begin checking out a book next week. Mrs. Kleinfelt went over all of the rules and had each student decorate a paint stick for a book marker; so they can pull a book off the shelves and mark that spot in case they don't like the book they pulled off.

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I believe that every one of our students has fallen alseep during rest time at least once; even Dylan, who said he hasn't taken a nap in a few years. One of these days I might trade spots with one of them and nap myself. Mrs. Amey makes the room nice and cozy, with just enough light, and soft soothing music; the perfect combination for resting.

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We have classroom jobs that the kids get to choose almost every day.  We have "Line Leader of the Week", "Caboose", "Lights", "Office", "Clean Up Helper", and "Pets and Plants".  The line leader gets to be the line leader the whole week, but the other five get chosen each day.

Guneet chose Pets and Plants and got to feed the class fish and water the class plant.

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We started the year off learning our alphabet with the help of Zoo phonics. So far we have learned...

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Allie Alligator is made by putting your arms straight out in front of you and opening and closing them as if an alligator is opening and closing her mouth.

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Buba Bear takes his right paw and reaches up for some honey and brings it back to his mouth two times.

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Catina Cat has really long whiskers at the side of her mouth. Take your first two fingers and curve them a little and run them across your cheek as if petting those long whiskers.

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Take two fingers on each hand and give yourself some antlers to make Dee Dee Deer come to life for your kindergartner.

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Ellie Elephant swings her trunk back and forth in front of her. Take one of your arms and simply swing it back and forth.

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I have been able to take over the Social Studies lessons this last week and we have been studying our rights as Americans and our responsibilities as citizens.  Mostly we have been learning that a right is a rule about what we are allowed to do or have and a responsibility is a duty to do or not do something.  We have talked about the kids having a right to learn at school and a responsibility to listen to the teachers.  They have a right to be safe at school and a responsibility to follow the rules.

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We talked about our classroom rules and why they are important. We learned that we have rules that help keep us safe and rules that help us learn. The kids did a great job at explaining which rules help us learn and which rules help keep us safe. I even had Lincoln S. explain that we have one rule that does both. Ask your kids if they can remember what our classroom rules are and if they remember which rule does what.

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I have been able to begin teaching our morning skills lessons and KPals as well. During these skill lessons we introduce new letters, sight words, and sometimes numbers. We read a book about our new letter or sight word together and then the kids "read" their book on their own for a few minutes. These books come home with them in their reading folder and should be read to three people over the weekend. When they are reading, they should have their eyes on their book, their reading finger pointing at the word they are reading, and the should be whisper reading (although at home it can be a voice level 2 or higher if they want).

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I forgot to mention that Macie, Hailey, and Zayden were lucky and had their names pulled for an extra recess because they were caught SOARing. Remember the more tickets they have the better their chances are of getting chosen.

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I first wanted to just say I am sorry that I did not get to updating this on Friday like I had wanted to. We had a family issue and I simply forgot. I do hope that you are enjoying this as much as I am though and continue to check it for the remainder of my time in your child's classroom.

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We celebrated our first birthday during the school year. Macie turned the big 6 on the 6th. Happy Birthday, Macie!!!

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This week we continued to learn about our letters using the Zoo Phonics alphabet. This week we learned.....

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Put your hands together for Fancy Fish and help her swim around.

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Gordo Gorilla loves to eat his banans, but first he has to peel them.

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Honey Horse is made by patting your legs with both of your hands, making the galloping sound of Honey's hooves

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We got to celebrate another birthday in our classroom. Dylan's birthday was on the 7th, but we celebrated on the 9th like it was our birthdays too. Happy Birthday, Dylan!!

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On Tuesdays we have an extra recess at the end of the day. Hooray for me, Mrs. Amey has recess duty on Tuesdays, which means I get to go out and play with the kids too!! Greyson and Lain driving the monster truck all over.

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Hailey showed how much of a daredevil she is...don't look Mom.

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Hailey showed how much of a daredevil she is...don't look Mom.

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Congratulations this week to Sofia, Colton, Lillian, and Taylen on having your names drawn for an extra recess on Friday. Don't worry, if you weren't here you get to go on the next one because you earned it! Keep up the great work earning those tickets!!

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I just want to remind parents that we send home three folders each Friday. A homework folder and a reading folder that aren't due back until the following Wednesday, and a Friday folder that is due back on Monday. We send home your child's classwork and important messages in the Friday folder and without the folder it could easily get lost in a child's backpack (ask me how I know that with three of my own having gone through Friday folders; one still does). I am pleased to announce that out of the 75 folders that were sent out last week Friday, all but six came back so GREAT JOB, keep it up!!!

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Due Wednesday.
Contains paper books that we have read as a class (and your child has read independently) and should be read to at least three people before being returned.

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Due Monday.
Has all of the week's classwork that your child has worked hard on. Also has important updates and information. Please empty it and congratulate your child on a hard weeks worth of work.

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Due Wednesday.
Contains papers to reinforce what we have been working on during the week.

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The last thing that I would like to express some concern over is shoes.  We have a chance to go outside or exercise through gym every day of the week. We have gym on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday and when the weather is nice Mr. Johnson has the kids outside on the track; when it's not so nice they are in the gym.  If you could remember to send your child in to school with their gym shoes on at least those days it would be a big help. It would make gym time a little safer as well. Thank you.

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As I am writing this I am realizing that this is the last week in my first month of teaching already. Where has the time gone? They say time flies when you're having fun and I agree. I am truly enjoying learning how to be the best teacher I can be and I couldn't ask for a better group of kids to learn it with. They are all well behaved (as much as can be expected from five and six year olds), polite, respectful, and caring kids; way to go Parents!! You ROCK!!!