The Village School

Teacher Letters (still more to come)

Please scroll down the list to view your child's class letter. More letters will be added throughout the month of August.

Kindergarten

August 4, 2010

Dear Kindergarten Parents,

I am delighted to welcome all of you to our Kindergarten and look forward with joy to a wonderful year together. There is much information to share with you pertaining to the start of school – please read this letter carefully as there are many things to remember.

Daily Schedule (Monday-Thursday)

8:15-8:30 Drop-off time (please be prompt) 10:00-10:15 Tidy-up

8:30-8:45 Morning Circle 10:15-10:45 Snack

8:45-9:15 Daily Activity 10:45-11:30 Outside Play

9:15- 10:00 Creative Play 11:30-11:45 Story and Goodbye

Weekly Rhythm Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday

Activity: Painting Baking Coloring Soup/Modeling

Snack: Rice/Fruit Millet/Fruit Bread/Fruit Soup/Bread

Things to bring to school

Indoor shoes: aqua socks are great, or soft canvas sneakers. They need shoes that can stay on at school, go on easily and stay on. Please avoid bedroom slippers or backless shoes like clogs or flip-flops, as they may fall off during our movement time and slippers can get very soggy during winter fire drills.

Extra clothing and a cloth bag to store it in: a drawstring bag or canvas grocery bag works well; backpacks are too bulky for our little hooks. Please keep a full change of clothing at school for your child, and replenish when necessary. On cold or wet days, hats, warm jackets, raincoats, rain pants and mud boots are required. We will go outside every day, and will take a walk each Wednesday.

Soup: each child is invited to bring a vegetable to add to our Thursday soup. There will be no soup the first week of school.

Things to leave at home

All home toys and playthings: personal treasures tend to encourage exclusion; it’s just not that easy to share.

Clothing with commercial images or advertising: please try to avoid as much as possible clothing with advertising slogans, logos or movie/cartoon characters, and written word. We will also do our best to keep our school hallways and classrooms free of commercial advertising.

Drop-off/Pick-up

Please escort your child to our classroom door each day. Drop-off time is 8:15-8:30. Please say your good-byes and make your exit at this time so that this transition is finished BEFORE we call the children to morning circle – it is very difficult for everybody to have both happening at the same time!

You may meet your child at our door for pick-up at 11:45am.

Parent information

Each family will have a mail cubby by the office where you will find newsletters and other messages. Please check your cubby regularly.

Birthdays!

When the time comes, I will be asking each of you for a short biography for your child’s birthday celebration. We try to have them on or before the birthday. Each child is asked to bring a gift from nature for the birthday child – a pretty stone, a pinecone, a seashell….(unwrapped of course). Please help them to remember, as each child very much wants to participate in the giving ceremony, and my stash grows thin when many forget! Please note: If you plan to invite your child’s classmate to a party, please do not distribute invitations through the children at school. This is very distracting and stress-causing, even when all the children are included. Please use the family mailboxes by the office for written invitations or just make phone calls to the parents.

A note will be posted outside the classroom to remind families of upcoming birthdays, and the phone tree may be used as well.

After School Care

We offer after school care for kinders in our Kindergarten room until 2:30. Please speak with our office for more information.

Upcoming events

Join us Thursday September 2nd at 5pm for a potluck dinner at the Friendly St Park. Please bring dinner ware (plates, utensils etc.) for your family as well as a dish to share!

Please feel free to visit the classroom on Monday August 30th between 11-2 and/or Tuesday the 31st between 2-5. This gives the children a chance to explore the environment, see parents and teacher working together, and provides a mental picture of where they will be on their very first day of Kindergarten! It’s all so very exciting!

I hope this information is useful to you. I am looking forward to getting to know each of your children and working with all of you. If you have questions or concerns, please let me or our office staff know.

Best Regards,

Sarah Wetzel

1st Grade

August 8, 2010

Dear Grade One Families,

Welcome to Grade One! I look forward to meeting all of you soon. Together, we will be guiding your children as they begin their journey through the grades. I will soon be calling you to make home visits and will have the classroom open on Friday, September 3rd from 10 a.m. to 12:00 noon for anyone that wants to come by and visit. Our classroom is Room #3.

What to bring to school

Indoor shoes: Please make sure your child has soft canvas sneakers for school or something comparable. I expect them to be able to move freely without losing their shoes. Your child must be able to put his/her shoes on easily and have the shoes stay on. NO bedroom slippers or backless shoes like clogs or flip-flops, as they may fall off during our circle time or their Movement and Games period.

Extra clothing and a cloth bag to store it in: A drawstring bag or canvas grocery bag works well. Please keep a full change of clothing at school; replenishing when necessary. All children must have a change of clothing available to them throughout the year.

We will go outside every day, and take weekly nature walks. I expect children to dress appropriately for the weather. I recommend hats, warm jackets, raincoats, rain pants and mud boots be available for the winter months.

Food: Each child will need to bring a snack for our snack time at 10:00 a.m. and a lunch from home unless you planned for your child to have school lunch.

Things to leave at home

All home toys and playthings: We are working to create an inclusive space and personal items tend to encourage exclusion.

Clothing with commercial images or advertising: please avoid clothing with advertising slogans, logos or movie/cartoon characters, and written words. We will also keep our school hallways and classrooms free of commercial advertising.

Drop-off/Pick-up

Drop-off time is 8:15-8:30 A.M. Please do not leave your child unattended in the hallway. You may say your good-byes and make your exit during this fifteen-minute window so that this transition is finished BEFORE we take attendance. If our classroom door is closed please get a tardy slip from the office and wait until you are invited into the classroom.

You may meet your child at our door for pick-up at 2:30 P.M. Children must stay with me until a designated person has picked them up. Please communicate this to your child.

Parent Communications and Information

Each family will have a mail cubby by the office where you will find newsletters and other messages. Please check your cubby regularly.

I will facilitate four Parent Evenings during the school year. They will take place on the third Monday of September, November, January and April. These meetings will be from 6:00 p.m.-7:30 p.m. Childcare will be provided for a small fee. I expect everyone to attend these meetings so that I can communicate more effectively with you all. The meetings also count towards volunteer hours.

Parent/Teacher conferences will take place in October and March. I will also have office hours posted and will also make myself available by appointment. You may let me know by e-mail or phone if you need to meet with me. The school phone number and my extension are 541-345-7285 ext 108.

Birthdays

Each child’s birthday will be acknowledged and celebrated in class in a very simple way that will convey the importance of his/her presence among us. I ask that any party invitations not be distributed through the children at school but via the family mailboxes. Invitations to any event can be distracting and stressful, even when all the children are included. Please use the family mailboxes by the office for written invitations or just make phone calls to the families. I want to keep our classroom an inclusive space that holds all of the children in an equally special way.

I hope this letter answers some of your questions about first grade. I’m sure you will have more questions for me as we begin this new adventure together. I am grateful to have the opportunity to be one of your child’s guides for the coming school year. Thank you for choosing The Village School.

Sincerely,

Anil Oommen

Grade One Main Lesson Teacher

The Village School

541-345-7285 ext. 108

2nd Grade

Dear Second Grade Families,

Welcome to the Village School's Second Grade! This summer I have been learning to play the ukulele with several other faculty members and parents. I hope to bring this into the classroom as I gain skill and confidence. I certainly have deepened appreciation of the children learning to play the pentatonic flute! I have also been reading a number of books about educating our children for a sustainable world. My growing understandings will help shape what I do with our thoughtful Steiner-inspired curriculum in 2nd grade this year.

Curriculum
     The second grade curriculum continues the work on developing and strengthening the children's reading, writing, math and relationship skills. Fables, folktales, and stories of helpers of humanity will help frame what we are learning. Helpers of humanity will include those with deep environmental awareness and connection with all of life.

What to Bring
     Indoor shoes: sneakers or aqua socks work great and won't fly off feet during extensive movement activities.
     Food: hearty and healthy snack and lunch; please no candy or sugar laden food or drinks (these are not conducive to the steady energy needed in school)
     Clothing: comfortable, weather appropriate clothing which does not restrict movement; long straight skirts and shoes with raised heels are not best for the active recess play which we encourage for optimum development. For safety reasons, please no dangling earrings. Also, our school discourages clothing with advertising and movie or cartoon characters.

I am planning a second grade potluck picnic at the Friendly Park (Monroe and 27th) on Wednesday, September 1 from 5 till 6:30. Please bring your own plates, utensil, and cups. I will bring drinks. We have one new family to welcome into our community.

See you at the picnic or the first day of school.

With warm regards,
Kay   (541-344-4389)

3rd Grade

August 10, 2010

Dear 3rd Grade Families,

I hope everyone is having a joyful summer full of sun and adventure. As the days of vacation come to a close, it is time to start gearing up for the 2010-11 school year. I am super looking forward to the next year and the opportunity to be your children’s 3rd grade teacher.

My summer has been full of movement and change. I finished teaching sixth grade in Venezuela on June 18th, spent some time with family in San Diego, attended a one week training training at the Steiner College in Sacramento, and am now finally back in Eugene. I am excited and happy to be home, and especially for the opportunity to be returning to teach at the Village School.

As many of you know, I student taught third grade at the Village School in 2003, was the fifth and sixth grade teacher from 2005-2007, and have subbed in most of the other classes. The Village School is an amazing place to teach and learn, and I feel honored to be returning to the teaching team.

I will be spending a lot of time in the classroom the next few weeks to plan, organize, and prepare for the new school year. You are all invited to come by, check out the new classroom, meet the new teacher, and if you have the time-to do some volunteering. Please call me at 760-580-5224 to let me know if you are going to come in. I have lots of little projects that you can jump into. The week of August 16th-20th, and August 23rd-27th are great times to volunteer.

In addition, I will be hosting a potluck dinner starting at 5:30PM, on Wednesday September 1st, at the Friendly St Park. Please bring dinnerware (plates, utensils etc.) for your family as well as a dish to share!

Look on the classroom bulletin board for the time and date of our first Third Grade Parent Meeting soon after school starts. In addition to all of the beginning-of-the-year information, I will also focus on specific volunteer opportunities within the classroom.

The third grade is an exciting and very active year. We will be cooking, gardening, doing constructing projects with hand tools, and hopefully going on lots of field trips! To make all this happen, I will need lots of parent volunteer support.

With the help of the supply fee that the school asks each family to pay, all school supplies will be provided. A backpack to carry a lunchbox and homework folder may be helpful, but is not required.

I do not require indoor shoes in third grade. When the weather becomes wet and muddy, however, I will require boots, hats and raincoats. Also, please bring a full change of clothes that can stay at school.

Your child will need a snack packed everyday. Pack a lunch as well, or arrange for your child to purchase a hot lunch.

If you and your child would like to donate a potted plant, a box of tissues, or a box of pre-sharpened #2 pencils to the classroom, that would be wonderful.

I look forward to seeing you and your 3rd grade child soon!

Sincerely,

Matthew Rutman

psolidarity@yahoo.com

760-580-5224

4th Grade

5th-8th Grade Spanish Letter

Queridos Parents and Guardians of 5^th – 8^th graders,

I hope that you are having a wonderful summer and that you are getting ready for a stellar school year.

The Upper School Spanish program will consist of 3 parts: Grammar, Music and Culture. These parts will be presented in themes. The first of which will be “El Yo, la escuela, la hora y el sistema solar” / “The self, the school, the hour and the solar system.”

The Culture aspect will be built around making and eating Latin American food, and watching and studying Latin American film. I know of a few great, age appropriate titles (Adiós Momo, Viva Cuba). If you know of others, let me know. I also know how to make a mean guacamole, but I would love some help in the food prep department. Ideas? Please and thank you.

Spanish class will include music. I will teach some basic Cumbia and Salsa patterns w/ Latin Percussion instruments. Spanish and Classical Guitar will also come into play from time to time. If there is anyone who can teach us some cool dance steps, please contact me.

Grammar includes vocabulary, conjugating verbs, identifying parts of speech in English and Spanish, pronunciation and speaking. This is the area that I need the most help with ASAP. Posters and index cards need to be made.

Your child will need the following for Spanish:

1000 3x5 index cards
Index card box
Spiral ring Notebook w/ lined paper

Here are the Expectations for Spanish Class:

Trate de levantar su mano antes de hablar.
Quédese sentado hasta que reciba permiso para levantarse.
Mantenga su cuerpo en calma.
Utilice su voz interior.
Utilice vocabulario apropiado.
Trate a los compañeros amablemente.
Utilice los servicios (de baño y agua para beber) antes o después de la lección.

Try to raise you hand and wait to speak.
Stay seated until given permission to get up.
Keep your body calm.
Use your inside voice.
Use appropriate language.
Treat your clasmates kindly.
Use the bathroom and get water before or after the lesson.

Warmly,

Jonathan Bilenki

(541) 684-6934

jbilenki@hotmail.com

5th Grade

August 11, 2010

Dear Grade 5 Parents and Guardians,

Greetings and good wishes to you all. My name is Matthew Bigongiari and I am excited to be the teacher for your incoming 5th grade students. I’m hoping this letter finds all of you in a relaxed and renewed summertime mode. Amazingly, as of the writing of this letter, all students from last year’s 4th grade are returning for 5th grade which means all of you are returning Village School families, so, welcome back. I’m writing to you in hopes of quickly establishing good communication links with all of you. Please make sure you get to me an updated e-mail address if you have one as I’ve found e-mail to be the most efficient mode of communicating with parents (though I’ll always have hard copies of communications available on the table outside the classroom). I will have an e-mail list for updating at the class potluck, at the Back to School work party, and at our first class meeting and then posted on the outside of the classroom door.

First of all, mark your calendars for a class potluck on Thursday, September 2nd from 5:00-7:00 pm at Tugman Park (note: this time has slightly changed from previous Village School communications). I’d like to connect with the students and touch base with the parents before school begins. I realize that many of you will not be able to make it, you may have prior commitments or may not even be in town, but I wanted to at least create the possibility for those who can or wish to. Please feel free to come to only a portion if that is all you can. Tugman Park is located in south Eugene off Hilyard St. between 36th and 38th.

The next day, Sept 3rd from 10am-2pm, I’d love some help in setting up the classroom and general cleaning at the Back to School Cleaning Party.

Secondly, I wanted to schedule our first Parent Meeting for Wednesday September 15th, 6:30-7:30pm in the grade five classroom (agenda forthcoming). Please make every effort to be there as these meetings are really the cornerstone of our work together in creating an optimal educational environment for your child.

Other important dates :

Wednesday, Sept 8th-first day of school
Wednesday, Sept 15th - All school meeting, 5:30-6:30p.m. (followed immediately by individual class meetings)
Tuesday/Wednesday , Sept. 21st and 22nd --overnight trip to Opal Creek Ancient Forest Center (We will need 4 or 5 parent driver/chaperones)

As far as student needs, here’s a checklist:

(Students will need to have these supplies in school by Friday, September 10th)

___a 3-ring notebook with divider tabs

___at least 200 sheets of notebook paper (wide-ruled)

___ 3 spiral bound notebooks

___a few pencils, pens and erasers

___a pencil sharpener

___ a labeled mug or cup for water

___sturdy comfortable shoes for daily movement and PE (no flip-flops)

Other optional items include:

___ a simple function calculator

___sitting/throw pillow (for reading)

___ an indoor plant

___donated book (s) for class library

___hanging (refractive) prism for window

The Village School will be providing all the rest of your student’s art supplies and classroom needs including a student planner for tracking homework assignments and upcoming dates.

I look forward to seeing many of you Sept 2nd at the class potluck (5-7pm). For the sake of simplicity, if your student’s last name is between A and M (main dish), between M and Z (side dish, salad, desert). In effort to support sustainable practices, please bring your own plates, cutlery, napkins and cups. I will bring lemonade in the school’s big water cooler and a few extra serving sets for those who forget. A large picnic blanket to sit on the ground and park play things (Frisbees, balls, etc.) are always nice additions.

Enjoy these last weeks before the shift of gears associated with the start-up of a new school year. I’m very excited to meet each of you, to begin work with the children and I anticipate a great year of school. Please feel free to contact me if you have any immediate needs or concerns.

All the best,

Matthew Bigongiari

bigongiari@hotmail.com or 541-912-2742 (cell phone)

6th Grade

Dear Grade 6 Village School Parents and Guardians,

It's time to again start thinking about school and gathering together our hearts and minds towards this upcoming year…

To most of you, welcome back, to some of you, welcome. Generally, I will prefer to use e-mail as much as possible for communications over the course of this year as I've found it to be the most efficient mode of communicating with parents (though I'll always have hard copies of communications available on the table outside the classroom). If you didn't get this letter through e-mail, make sure you get me an updated e-mail address if you have one.

First of all, mark your calendars for a class potluck on Sunday, Sept. 5, from 5-7pm at Washington (Swiss Cheese) Park which is located at 2025 Washington Street. I'd like to create an opportunity for the students to reconnect, touch base with the parents and have a chance to meet the new families (there are three as of the writing of this letter) before school begins. I realize that some of you will not be able to make it, you may have prior commitments or may not even be in town, but please feel free to come to only a portion if that is all you can and bring all siblings and family.

For the sake of simplicity, if your student's last name is between A and M (main dish, between M and Z (side dish, salad, dessert). Please try to bring your own dishes, cups and silverware and a picnic blanket. I will bring lots of cold lemonade. For those of you unable to come, we'll see you soon enough.

Secondly, I wanted to schedule our first Parent Meeting for Friday, Sept. 10th at 5:30pm. Please make every effort to be there as these meetings are really the cornerstone of our work together in creating an optimal educational environment for your child. This first meeting is especially important as we will be going over the highlights/changes for the sixth grade year and planning out our goals for parent meetings for the whole year. We also will be discussing our first overnight field trip to Pine Mt. Observatory in Eastern Oregon which will happen very soon after the start of school (late September-if we have the drivers/chaperones). The trip is connected to our Astronomy Main Lesson block and gives the students an opportunity to visit a world-class astronomical observatory.

The Sixth Grade block rotation includes the following topics of study: Astronomy, Business math, Roman History, Language Arts (writing), Geometric Drawing, Physics, South and Central American Geopgraphy, History of the Middle Ages, the Ancients and Mathematics, and Minerology/geological earth activity.

As far as student needs, here's a checklist:

· at least 200 sheets of notebook paper (wide-ruled)

· 2-Three ring binders (2 inch size)

· a higher quality bow compass (these are available at Oregon Art Supply or UO bookstore for $10-20

· a 30/60/90 and/or a 45/45/90 triangle (medium size)

· a mug or cup for water (many still have theirs in the class from last year-no water bottles please)

· a healthy and nutritious daily snack and lunch

· sturdy comfortable shoes for daily movement and PE (no flip/flops or rolly shoes)

· a rain jacket with a hood that will live at school for the year (this is a required item).

· I do not allow students to use markers (sharpies, crayola, etc) in their main lesson books, so there is no need to purchase them for school use. We will only be using colored pencils, charcoal, or paint for our artwork.

Other optional items include:

· a simple function calculator (we do have classroom calculators)

· sitting/throw pillow (for reading)

· indoor plant

· donated book(s) for class library

· hanging (refractive) prism for the window

What NOT to Bring:

· ANYTHING from home (unless given prior Permission)

· School supplies of any kind (we supply them all)

· Candy or soda (including Juice Squeezes)

The Village School will be providing all the rest of your student's art supplies and classroom needs, including planners.

For now, that is all. I look forward to seeing many of you at Washington Park on the 5th. I am also looking for some help in setting up the classroom in the 7-10 days before school begins so please let me know by email (SLROMATZ@yahoo.com) if you can help.

Enjoy these last weeks before the shift of gears associated with the start-up of a new school year.

Susana Romatz

7th/8th Grade

August 10, 2010

Welcome Seventh and Eighth Grade Families.

For all important back to school meeting and calendar dates go to: http://www.eugenevillageschool.org/pg85.cfm

The purpose of this letter is simply to say “hello” and help you get your student “supplied” by the first day of school. More detailed information regarding the all important first parent evening will be forthcoming during the first week of school.

Before we get to our work, we want to gather as a 7^th/8^th grade community and socialize. Please join us for a pot-luck, social at Tugman Park - 38^th and Hilyard in South Eugene, Wednesday, September 1st from 6-8 pm.

We look forward to working with you and your student this coming year.

Always,

Andy Traisman

at22@comcast.net

w-345-7285 ext.116

h-344-9222

Justin

h-726-2017

School supply list for 7^th/8^th Grade Justin and Mr. T

Get everything on this list!

Things you will need to have at home:

Ruler, Protractor, Compass, Calculator, Colored Pencils, Crayons, Good Scissors, Lined paper. Access to a computer (public or school computer can also work) to receive regular and gradebook e-mail communications. In the 7^th/8^th grade all communications come from our on-line gradebook program and all parents are required to be registered.

***Everything on the above list, with the exception of lined paper can live at your home and does not need to come to school. You will be provided with these tools in the classroom. You do need to have these at home, so you can do your homework there.***

Things you will need to bring to school

3 ring binder—This will be your daily use binder.
3 ring pocket folders (to go in binders) for every subject in different colors (appx. 6)
Loose-leaf paper (300+ sheets) wide or college-ruled
#2 Pencils, Package of 24
A package of your favorite writing pens
1 small hand-held pencil sharpener (the metals ones don’t break, get one at the art supply store)
1 highlighter (yellow)
2 Fine-tip Sakura black waterproof markers .05 and .08 are best—art store or office store (no permanent markers, i.e. Sharpies)
A pencil pouch for pencils, pens, etc.
One water bottle or mug to drink out of—(must be durable and stored in locker)
Movement Shoes—No black soles, skid free, laces