Well, welcome to winter!  I had a great vacation in the warm sun of the Caribbean Sea.  I promise, I tried to bottle and bring back the warm weather...it didn't work! Sorry! 

     This week we spent time getting caught up and back on track!  I heard all about the great fun and learning they had with Mrs. Horak and Mr. McBride!  We worked on the short /a/ sound and word families that have that sound.  The kids are doing great with letter recognition and sounds and making words!  

      Using M & M's, worked on grouping, counting, putting groups together and writing numbers!  The best part, eating the M & M's after!  Check out the photos on our Facebook page.  

SNACK--Thank you to Christine for snack last week and Laken for snack this week!  We enjoyed birthday cake for Ymbrace's birthday!  Next week, Ty is our snack person!  Hopefully, we will have a full 4 days of school! 

MILKY WAY--Last weekend, Christine took Milky Way home.  They enjoyed their time together having a play date with friends and playing Barbies!  Milky Way is taking a week off and she will go home with Laken!

**Sunday, January 26--9:00--All School mass & brunch 

**Monday, January 27--Footprints in the Sand--Wear flip flops.  (Bring regular shoes for gym and recess.) 

**Tuesday, January 28--Jesus is the Treasure--Dress like a treasure chest or wear bling.

     Prayers and Pancakes--Prayers are at 8:15am in Tobin Hall.  Kindergartners will have pancakes from 8:30 to 8:55am.  We will not need snack that day. 

**Wednesday, January 29--Jesus is my Anchor--Dress like an anchor or pirate (no weapons)  

     Reading Relay 8:30 to 9:00--I need 2 parents who would be willing to participate in the reading relay.  This is really fun!  You will get to read to different classes for about 5 minutes each.  When the bell rings, you move to the next class and continue reading the book in that room!  I've done it before, It is great!  

**Thursday, January 30--On the 5th day, He created Sea Animals--Dress like a sea creature  

    SJS 4th Annual Family Night--5:30 to 6:00--Free Will Donation Dinner.  

                  Make and Take Activities in classrooms from 5:45 to 7:30.  

**Friday, January 31--St. Jame Pride--wear pride attire.

Also during CSW there will be a Scholastic Book Fair.  This is a great way to get some really fun books at a good cost!  The money raised from the book fair helps supply our library with books!  Come and check us out!

Please note that 2 slips went home yesterday--one for the Prayers and Pancakes and one for the Family Night.  Please fill them out and return ASAP.  This is critical to plan for the food.  

The Penny Wars are on again!  This year, we are raising money to purchase fleece fabric to make blankets for the Stead Family Children's Hospital at UIHC.  The fleece will be purchased and blankets will be made during Family Night!  Send in those pennies for our jar and silver and dollars for other classrooms jars!  (No pressure, but in the past, people have been known to bring in rolls of pennies and silver!)

One last thing for CSW--We are having a door decorating contest.  The theme in Kindergarten is "Our families are following in HIS footsteps!"  I would love to have your help with this!  I need your families footprints!!!  Please send your family footprints into school and we will put them on the door!  I will work on the classroom children's footprints at school!  I would love to have many, many footprints on and around our door!  You can decorate them anyway you want!  You can also take a picture of your feet.  You can send them to me or print a 5 X 7 picture!  Please send those in by January 24 if possible!

Try to stay warm and safe this weekend!  See you on Tuesday, January 21st!

Ms. Love-Smith