Photostream

Check our some photos of The Academy from our field trip to Apple Hollar, Grandparent's Day, Safety Town at Harlem and Irving Plaza, Bike Safety and Lt. Dan. Scroll to the bottom of my blog to view the pictures!

Fire Prevention Week

Last week, October 3 through the 9 was Fire Prevention Week. We have our first fire drill of the school year with Lt. Dan Johnson of the Norwood Park Fire Department. He also stayed after our fire drill to talk with all of us about Fire Safety. We had a special helper in Mrs. Tanya's room show us how to do "stop, drop, and roll." We are lucky to have a great relationship with our local fire department. On October 25, a fire truck and ambulance will be coming to us for the students to walk through and see all of the equipment.

Safety Town

Wednesday, September 29 the Galaxy Kids had the opportunity to attend Safety Town at the Harlem-Iriving Plaza. The students learned what to do in case a fire starts at home. We climbed out of the window after the room filled with "smoke," and we learned when to stop, drop, and roll. The students also learned what to say and do if they think a stranger is trying to trick them:
First the scream "No!", then run away, and tell an adult.

Dispatcher Kelly helped us learn how to dial 911, and when to dial 911. Parents we need you to practice your address with your children! Should there ever be an emergency, the students need to know their address. We will be working on this with them at school too!

We also learned that guns are not toys, and what to do if we find a gun in the area:

1. Stop!
2. Don't Touch
3. Leave the area
4. Tell an adult

Finally we practiced walking in the crosswalk. We learned when it's safe to walk across the street (green light), and never to cross the street on a yellow or red light. At a stop sign, we learned to look both ways, listen for cars, and then cross. We must always stay within the cross walk!

Parents, please review these safety tips with your children. Next week begins Fire Safety Week. Lt. Dan will be here to talk to us again about Fire Safety.

Spoons Behavior System

We have a new behavior system in our classroom! Each student has five spoons with his or her name on them in a little holder. Should a student not be following directions or following our classroom rules, they will be asked to pull a spoon. Each student will have opportunities to earn the spoons back throughout the day, but after all five spoons are gone, the parents will be contacted. If a student has lost spoons and has not earned them back by the end of the day, they will bring a paper home indicating the number of spoons they had left and the reason why they lost the spoons.
Students who have kept all five spoons all day for the week will have an opportunity to do something special, of their choice, in the classroom at the end of the week.

Rainforest Unit

The Galaxy Kids are finishing up their Rainforest Unit! We learned there are four layers in a Rainforest: Emergent, Canopy, Understory, and the Forest Floor. Various animals live within the four layers of the Rainforest including Ocelots, Tree Frogs, Capybaras, Sloths, Leaf Cutter Ants, and more! The students had a great time discovering where the Rainforests are located, and saddened to learn that the Rainforests are disappearing. We talked about ways that we can help save God's creation with small changes we can do around the house. Using a refillable water bottle is one simple way to help!

Back to School Night - September 23

Come and see what we have been doing so far at the Academy! Visit the classrooms, meet our parents and teachers, and see what your child has been learning since our first day of school!

Parent and Teacher Expectations of Each Other

The school year has started off great! In an effort to continue in this successful path, I wanted to share with you some parent and teacher expectations from an article in the August/September issue of Today's Catholic Teacher. We thank you for entrusting your child in our care. As a school community, we are committed to fulfilling our obligations in educating and enriching your child.

The expectations below are some expectations parents should have of their child's teacher:

• The lessons on morality, ethics, religion, and dealing with others begins at home, and should be reinforced in the classroom.
• The teacher will provide quality instruction with the inclusion of Catholic values and Church teaching
• The teacher will maintain order and discipline in the classroom
• The teacher will contact you, the parent, frequently to report on your child's progress
• The teacher will notify you immediately of an emergency involving your child
• The teacher will contact you when there is a problem
• The teacher will use up-to-date teaching methods
• The teacher will try to meet the individual learning needs of your child
• The teacher will be fair (NOTE: Fair does not mean equal.)

The expectations below are some expecations teachers have of their students' parents:

• You will bring your child to church regularly
• You will provide your child with supplies
• You will be present at parent-teacher meetings and at other significant occasions in your child's life at school
• You will account for your child's whereabouts
• You will support school policies, classroom rules, and the teacher's decisions
• You will help with, not do, homework and assignments
• You will provide up-to-date information in case of an emergency involving your child
• You will contact the teacher when there is a problem.

For more information on these expecations and communication strategies, please visit the link to the article from Today's Catholic Teacher: http://www.catholicteacher.com/archive/articles_view.php?article_id=2687