Thiets Times

Dec. 8, 2006

Dear Parents/Guardians,

• I have decided to write a newsletter on a monthly basis. Please look for it on the first Friday of the month.
• In Writer’s Workshop we are working on poems. The students have learned to write list poems, poems with repetition and poems with feelings. We will be making a book out of our poems. We will continue with poetry until winter break.
• We have been very busy in math. We are learning our basic facts. The students are also learning about shapes, parallel lines, and intersecting lines. We continue to learn about 2-digit addition using partial-sum algorithms.
• On December 18, the second graders will be going to the play “Beauty and the Beast.” Due to the cost of the tickets, I am unable to bring any adults along on this trip. The permission slip for this trip is in your child’s folder. Please sign it and return it on Monday.
• Our school is celebrating Hmong New Year next week. Everyone is welcome! This is always a fun event to attend.
• Our new culture focus is Africa. We will be learning about the different regions of Africa and much more. We currently have Culture with Ms. Dorow.

If you have any question, please call me at 651-778-3207. You can also e-mail me at patricia.thiets@spps.org.

Patty Thiets

Upcoming dates:

12/12 Jr. Achievement Blitz Day
12/13 Drum Concert in the Circle Room 10:15
12/14 Hmong New Year 5:30 – 7:00
12/18 Field trip 9:20 – 12:00
12/23 Winter Break begins
1/8 School resumes
1/9 Circle Time – African Storyteller – 10:15

Oct. 27, 2006

Dear Parents/Guardians,

• If you have not already done so, please return your conference slip. We will be scheduling conferences next week. I will try to schedule you the night that you request. Please note that I will be out of state for a wedding and will not be having conferences on November 22. If you need a day conference, I will contact you to arrange a different time. The other teachers will be having conferences on November 22.
• The second graders are learning how to count money and to make change. Please practice this with your child. Some of the children are still learning the names of the coins and how much they are worth. To help your child learn this skill, give them 5-6 coins and ask them to count the coins.
• We continue to learn about the Philippines. The students are learning about rice and how it is planted, harvested, and sent to market. The students have also learned what a jeepney is, ask your child about them.
• Next Tuesday is Halloween. Your child may bring a store bought treat if they would like too. We have 18 students in the classroom. I will provide a drink for them. No costumes are allowed.
• If you have any question, please call me at 651-778-3207. You can also e-mail me at patricia.thiets@spps.org.

Patty Thiets

Upcoming dates:

11/9 Early Release Day
11/10 No School—Conference Prep Day
11/16 Circle Time
11/16 Evening Conferences
11/21 Evening Conferences
11/22 Day Conferences

Oct. 6, 2006

Dear Parents/Guardians,

• Thank you to those who participated in our school’s fundraiser. The school sold over $10,000 worth of product with a profit close to $5,000. The money is going to be used for field trips and to help fund a new playground.
• Mr. Ching came to our room this week and the students got a chance to learn how to use ibooks. This was their first time using one of our school’s portable labs. They learned how to log in; we practiced drawing, and inserted pictures. Everyone did a super job.
• Our culture focus for the 2nd grade is the Philippine Islands. They will be learning about what an island is and how is it different from living in other places. We are also learning tininkling. This is the national dance of the Philippine Islands
• Check out our school’s website at http://worldcultures.spps.org/. This is a great resource to learn about our school. The school calendar is on the web site so you can look to see what events are planned for the year. My newsletters are also posted on the site. If you have any question, please call me at 651-778-3207. You can also e-mail me at patricia.thiets@spps.org.

Patty Thiets

Upcoming dates:

10/7 150 Anniversary of St. Paul Schools
10/18 Early Release Day
10/19 No School—State Teacher Meetings
10/20 No School—State Teacher Meetings
11/9 Early Release Day
11/10 No School—Conference Prep Day

Dear Parents/Guardians,

• We welcomed a new student (Nathan) this week. We have 18 students in our classroom.
  
• Homework started this week. Your child should be bringing a sheet home to complete in their homework notebook Monday through Thursday. Our homework is a review of things that we did in the classroom so your child should know how to complete it. Homework notebooks are due Friday mornings.
• Our time capsules our complete. They will be stored until the last week of school. The children had fun making all of the things that we put into them..
• The fundraiser ends Tuesday, October 3rd. All orders and money are due that day. The money raised will be used to help pay for field trips and new playground equipment.
• Our picture day is Tuesday, October 3rd. Information was sent home 2 weeks ago in your child’s folder. Let me know if you would an additional copy of that.
• Check out our school’s website at http://worldcultures.spps.org. This is a great resource to learn about our school. The school calendar is on the web site so you can look to see what events are planned for the year. My newsletters are also posted on the site. If you have any question, please call me at 651-778-3207. You can also e-mail me at patricia.thiets@spps.org.

Patty Thiets

Upcoming dates:

10/3 Fundraiser ends, Picture Day
10/7 150 Anniversary of St. Paul Schools
10/18 Early Release Day
10/19 No School—State Teacher Meetings
10/20 No School—State Teacher Meetings

Dear Parents/Guardians,
It has been a busy week. We finished the first chapter in Math and have started Chapter 2. Please practice addition basic facts with your child. All second graders need to learn their 0-18 basic facts. This is one of the standards that we need to meet in 2nd grade.
We are currently working on creating time capsules that we will open the last week of school. It is always fun to see how much we have grown when we open them up.
The fundraiser kick-off was yesterday. You do not have to participate but if you do, please ask only people that you know. You can send in your order forms and money at any time; however, all money and orders are due October 3.
Please remind your child not to bring any candy to school. Some of the students have had candy in their backpacks. If you have any question, please call me at 651-778-3207.

Patty Thiets

Upcoming dates:

9/21 Fundraiser starts
10/3 Fundraiser ends, Picture Day
10/7 150 Anniversary of St. Paul Schools
10/18 Early Release Day
10/19 No School—State Teacher Meetings
10/20 No School—State Teacher Meetings

Dear Parents/Guardians,
It was nice meeting those of you who came to open house last night. If you were unable to come last night and would like to speak with me, please call. I am at school by 8:00 everyday.
Please remember that folders do come home every Friday. Please be sure to look in your child’s folder and take out his/her papers.
The students all got their school library card this week. They have the opportunity to go to the school library everyday. They can check out 3 books each time unless they have an overdue book. Please ask your child if they have any overdue books.
Some of the children are still in need of school supplies. They should have brought to school 3 notebooks, 2 folders (one red, one blue), 2 boxes of Kleenex, and Ziploc bags. All of these items are important.
If you have any question, please call me at 651-778-3207.

Patty Thiets

Upcoming dates:

9/20 Book order money due
9/21 Fundraiser starts
10/3 Fundraiser ends
10/7 150 Anniversary of St. Paul Schools
10/18 Early Release
10/19 No School
10/20 No School

Sept. 8, 2006

Dear Parents/Guardians,

The first week of school is complete and we have been busy. The students are learning a lot of routines and rituals that will help them succeed in second grade. We have started our Math journals and we have started Writer’s Workshop. We hope to begin Reader’s Workshop by the end of next week.

The folders that the students bring home are to come home on Fridays. I had written Wednesday but I wanted you to know that you will see them every Friday.

Next week we will be getting an introduction to the library and the students will begin to take library books home. We also have our first Circle Time on Thursday. Back to School Night is on Thursday, September 14 from 5 – 6:30. I hope to meet everyone that night.

If you have any question, please call me at 651-778-3207.

Patty Thiets