Friday the 15th we brought in $142.98 in recycling. Today we brought $60.85. Keep bringing in those recyclables on Friday mornings, and remember, wine bottles don’t count! They go into the regular recycling at your curbside.
BE MY VALENTINE
A few guidelines as the next celebration approaches:
Please check with your teacher or room parent to see if your class will be having a Valentine exchange.
Continue Vallecito's GREEN efforts and give recycled cards or homemade cards out of recycled material.
Vallecito and the Dixie District have a "healthy food" policy. DO NOT send candy to school in either store-bought or homemade cards.
With all the recalls we are hearing about on little toys and trinkets, please refrain from adding these to your cards. Thanks!
How to Help Your Child in Math
Did you know . . . 40% of adults hated math in school? 84% of middle schoolers would rather do “anything” other than math homework? Here are some ways you can help your children with mathematics from the publishers of our math program, Everyday Mathematics.
Create a homework routine.
Familiar routines help work go smoothly at school and at home. With your child, decide on a time and place to do homework, along with a few rules. A typical routine might go like this: Come home, have a snack, clear a space at the table, start math homework. Create a place for homework supplies. Always have a sharp pencil, and circle problems you want help with. Once homework is complete, put it in your backpack.
Read Family Letters and Study Links.
These pages describe what your child is learning so that you can help. They also suggest fun, easy math activities you can do at home. Consider keeping all of these pages in a special folder to refer to later.
Communicate with the teacher.
You are the link between your child and school and it is your responsibility to share your thoughts and concerns with the teacher. Call or write a note if your child has had trouble with homework, ask questions if you or your child do not understand something and share good news when you see progress.
Ask your child to explain.
Encourage your child to teach you the day’s math lesson by using the problems in the Study Links. Ask questions about the steps your child uses to solve a problem, such as why did you put that number there or what does that zero mean?
Use questions to help.
Although it’s tempting to give children answers when they’re confused, they learn more if you help them discover the answers for themselves. Try doing this with questions such as these:
Have you seen problems like this before?
Is there an example anywhere that might help?
What is the problem asking you to do or to find?
What’s one idea you have for finding an answer?
Can you draw a picture of the problem?
Can you use objects (like coins, beans, and so on) to show the problem?
Be accepting of mistakes.
Let your child know that every mistake is an opportunity to learn. When your child makes a mistake, ask him or her to explain how he or she arrived at the answer, give praise for the correct steps or thinking, and gently point out where the error occurred. Then have your child try a similar problem (you may have to make one up) to practice the new understanding.
Play math games.
Games your child brings home from school or store-bought games that involve mathematical thinking will help your child master skills. Your child’s teacher can give you a list of popular commercial games with mathematical content.
Observe a mathematics lesson in your child’s classroom or volunteer to help.
Visit your child’s classroom – it’s the best way find out more about Everyday Mathematics. When you volunteer to help with activities, you also learn a great deal. Do not worry if you’re not a math expert – teachers always appreciate an extra hand and will find ways to use your skills.
Share real-life math situations.
Think abut the ways we use math in our everyday lives – at work, at the store, at the bank, in the kitchen and so on. Invite your child to observe or participate in these activities with you. Encourage your child to think mathematically about common activities such as folding laundry or taking out the garbage. How many socks are in 12 pairs? About how many pounds does a bag of trash weigh?
Give gifts that encourage mathematical exploration.
Children love special gadgets and tools, as well as games and activities that challenge their minds. Giving a gift related to math is a good way to reinforce and reward your child’s accomplishments. Here are some ideas: a watch, a timer, an hour glass (egg timer), a calendar, a tape measure, a calculator, pattern blacks, books of brainteasers, 3-dimensional building kits, puzzles, maps, and a wide variety of games
Learning Websites
I have been asked for a list of websites that students can use to practice the things they are learning at school. Below is a list for both reading and math. Try them out and find the ones that best fit the academic level of your child. Also, Rebecca Minnick just received a grant allowing the entire school to use Education City. Education City is an excellent educational site and one you can use at home too if you subscribe. The cost for 12 months is $75. I do have a few coupons for $20 off so if you would like to enroll in their program, see me for a coupon: first come, first served.
We sent the message below out yesterday. Below read some of the comments I received.
"It was a crazy drop-off-lane this morning with the weather. Not unexpected, but in general people seem to be doing things that slow down the drop-off process and make it less safe for the kids. Please remember:
1. Stay in your car and allow the drop off lane volunteers to help your kids out. Getting out slows the process and backs up traffic.
2. Have your kids exit the car on the right hand side. Kids exiting on the left must walk between cars and could be overlooked and hit. (If you are driving with a baby on the right side of the car, please drop off in the parking lot not the drive through)
3. Whenever possible, avoid having backpacks, instruments, projects or other items that must go to school in your trunk. Try and have all items with your child so they can exit the car quickly and efficiently.
4. The bus lane is for buses only. Do not use this as a drop off lane. It creates another cross walk the drop off lane volunteers must monitor and ultimately slows the process for everyone.
5. Remember, you can't turn left out of all the lots during peak drop off and pick up times. We will be posting a sign in the Day Care lot to this effect. Driving into the Day Care lot for a quick U-turn and left making a left hand turn blocks traffic just as much as turning left out of the drive through.
6. Please respect the drop off lane volunteers and treat them with courtesy. They are trying to help your kids get to school safely and keep traffic flowing."
Here are a couple of responses I got from parents:
Thanks Betty -- all the volunteers are rock stars as far as I'm concerned. The number of people who turn left out of those drives is really surprising. I even turn right out of the TLHS lot and come all the way around back to Vallecito. It doesn't take that much more time and really keeps the backups to a minimum. Anyhow, thanks for all you and the wonderful Vallecito staff do. -- Janette Morrow
And from Linda Wendell Hsu: My kids have been taking the bus since Fall '08. There are several reasons why we love it:
1. The bus stop is conveniently located near our house.
2. The bus is ALWAYS right on time and the driver, Molly, is really nice.
3. We commute to the City, and it saves us time on our commute.
4. It is a reasonable price, both for bus tickets and for a semester pass.
5. It beats trying to find a parking space at school or further burdening the drop-off lane.
6. It is safe. The kids are dropped off in front of the school.
