August 16, 2019

Our theme for this school year is CALLED to CARE.
We will be looking for ways to show Jesus' love to others so that others will know and feel God's CARE!
A quick look at next week:
Religion:Creation
Memory:  Psalm 139:4memory is in your child's homework memory and will be said between Wednesday-Friday

Reading: Non Fiction Shared Reading
Stations: We will begin learning about our station time
     word work: short a
     sentence: build a sentence
     reading: sequencing and reading independently
     listening: listening to a story

Writing Workshop: How to write a story
Phonics: letters make sounds
Spelling: Lesson 1  Practice Test Friday
Spelling Words:   We will have a practice test on Friday over Lesson 1

Math: Review of numbers and shapes
Social Studies: School Community
Art: Color wheel

I hope this will help you talk with your child about what we are doing next week in school.

Library start on Wednesday September 4.

I have a no homework on Fridays Policy.
The weekends are for family time so I do not give math homework on Fridays.

Your child may bring a water bottle to school to drink during the day.  Please send a bottle that has a sippy type lid that pops up to keep spills to a minimum. 

Please look in your child's RED Friday Folder each week.  Please mark the church and Sunday school attendance and initial so that I know you have looked at the Friday Folder!  There isn't any homework in the  Friday Folder this week.

I still need parent cleaners.  This is an easy job.  Fridays after school you and your child/ren come in and clean the table, dust, and wipe down frequently touched surfaces.  It usually take less than 15 minutes but it really helps me.  Please consider signing up for a few spots this year.  Click on the link to sign up.
THANKS

Parent Cleaner Sign Up

Hot Lunch Milk Policy:  If your child gets a hot lunch a milk is included. If your would rather your child have a juice or water please send in a note requesting water or juice.  The child doesn't have to have an allergy to milk, but does need note from a parent.

 

Mileage Club Information

The Mileage club is a program where our 1^st-4^thGrade Students earn a “footie” when they complete 21 laps (about 3 miles) on our cemetery path during their lunch recess.  These students will be encouraged to walk/jog a few laps each day and those daily laps will add up to completed cards.

 The rewards vary based on how many cards each participant has completed as follows:

Finish Card #1,2,3,4,6,7,8,9=Front Row Footie

Finish Card #5=Silver Footie and name on the chart

                        Participant may be in the Mileage Club Yearbook Picture

Finish Card #10= Gold Footie

Finish Card #11 and higher= Clear Footie

Finish Card #15= Glow in the Dark Footie

Finish Card #17= Clear Footie, Supersize Footie, and #50 for 50 miles completed

                        Participant receives a certificate at Zion’s closing chapel.

Finish Card #25=Clear Footie and #75 for 75 miles completed

Finish Card # 34=Clear Footie, Supersize Footie, and #100 for 100 miles completed

 MILEAGE CLUB PARTICIPANTS will receive Mileage Club credit for walking/running in the BOBCAT SHUFFLE. 

Please email Mrs. Steinbacher  at msteinbacher@zionharvester.orgwith any questions concerning the Mileage Club.  

It has been an absolute pleasure getting to know your child this week and I look forward a terrific year.   This class has done a great job problem solving and working on difficult tasks.  

I hope to see many of you in church this weekend. I would also like to invite you to Adult Bible class which meets in the church basement and Sunday school which meets in the school commons/lunch room.

Join me at 9:30 in the church basement.

Come early for donuts :)

Please say a prayer for me as I am taking my youngest daughter Maddie to college in Wisconsin on Thursday.  My oldest is leaving to go back to grad school this Sunday and my middle daughter to going back to college in Nebraska on Thursday.  I will need extra prayers... and I know my 'kids' at school will help me as my kids at home go to college.

I will have a sub next Thursday.  Mrs. Gregory is a great sub and I know the kids will be in great hands.  I will be back on Friday. 

Make worship a priority this weekend.

Please enjoy the pictures of our first days.  It will give you a small picture of our awesome 3 days :)  

Called to Care,

Amy Bernhardt

A SNEAK PEAK AT THE FIRST WEEK...

We started Wednesday with Chapel.  Mr. Debrick shared with us a that we  God has called us to care for each other and share Jesus' love.

We then took an all school picture!

We learned about Recess Rules...

...and Lunch Rules

We read "The Kissing Hand"  and did and activity.  See the end of the post to view our finished work.

We explored our math tool box and practiced being a Mathematician on a whiteboard.

I hope you liked the first day of school paper!

We played with Bobcat play dough.  It turned red showing we had a great day.

Our hands also turned red:)  I apologize for the crumbly play dough I will not use that recipe again :(

Thursday started with our classroom devotion.

We learned about ways we can care for each other.

We made a caring cross.

Our shared reading book this week was, "Monster A, B, C"

We played 'I Have, Who Has' to review our letters.

We read about David and school rules then we brainstormed some good school rules.

We wrote FIRST GRADE RULES!
and talked about the pun, first grade rules (is great) when everyone follows the rules (guidelines). 

We made our own David with paper and crayons.

Check the end of the blog to see our work!

We did a beginner of the year writing sample using a special writing pen.

We read a great book about being kind.

We painted prayer cards to send to people who we are praying for.

We made a CALLED TO CARE bulletin board.

We learned about our Science journals.  Today we were asked about if we thought unicorns were real.

Here is a clue.  Ask your child about it.

We discussed what we thought and what we learned about unicorns.

We wrote what we learned in our Science Journal.

Making new friends

Mrs. Helmkamp taught us about using the iPads.

We learned how to do our listening station using the iPads .  Some of us need new headphones, your child has a yellow note in their homework folder if their headphones do not work.

We learned more about each other as we shared our brown bags.

 Our David First Grade RULES!

 Our Chester Kissing Hand

August 13, 2019

The Night Before First Grade

August 1, 2019

Our School Theme this year is:

Called to Care

This year we will focus on the GOSPEL, the GOOD NEWS of Jesus, our Savior.  Jesus came to take away our sins.  He rose to give us eternal life.  In God's Grace through Jesus we have Forgiveness and Eternal Life!  WOW, What great news!!  This year we will continually learn about GOD'S GRACE as we CARE for each other and SHARE the GOOD NEWS of JESUS in classroom devotions, religion (JesusTime), servant projects, family devotions, faith families, and in regular classroom activities.  

                        

First grade is such a BIG year for your child.  I can't wait to be a partner with you as we help your child to grow spiritually and academically.

FIRST GRADE will be having a Parent Orientation Night this will take the place of the Parent's Back to School Night for First Grade!

PLEASE PLAN TO ATTEND:

Thursday, August 8th - 
Parent Orientation Night for ELP, Preschool, Kindergarten AND First Grade Parents-

6:00-6:45pm and/or 7:00-7:45pm - Parents only please; join us in your child's classroom for either session; please contact me after August 1st, if you cannot attend. 

I look forward to meeting you and sharing with you a lot of information about first grade.  This is a very important night.  Feel free to pop in a little early for the first session or a little late for the last session to speak individually with me.

MONDAY, AUGUST 12 3:00-7:00

I look forward to seeing parents and kids  on MONDAY, AUGUST 12 at ZION'S OPEN HOUSE! 

I will have an option to sign up and spend 10 minutes with me during the Open House time.  I will explain this at the orientation meeting.

At Open House your child will meet me, see our classroom, bring their supplies to school, and get their school picture.  (so please wear your school uniform for the picture)

There is NO need to put your child's name on supplies as we will share them. 
You child will need their name on the folders.

If you are a new family to Zion I would like to welcome you to our Zion family.  

My email is: abernhardt@zionharvester.org

I hope you enjoy the last bit of summer and are ready for school!

See you at PARENT ORIENTATION NIGHT AND OPEN HOUSE.

Enjoy learning a little bit about me as I look forward to getting to know you and your child!

Amy Bernhardt

abernhardt@zionharvester.org

My Favorite Bible Verse

Favorite Sport to Watch
All three of my girls have played softball and I loved watching them play! Now I love to watch the CARNIALS!

My Favorite Dinner

My Favorite Class 

My Favorite School Activity

My Favorite Book

My Favorite Color

My Family

Hi, I have been teaching on and off for 25 years. I taught for 3 years then took 10 years off while my three girls were young.  I have taught many grades including 4th, 3rd, 2nd, 1st, and PDO.  This is my 10th year in First Grade.  I love First Grade and all the exploring, learning, growing, and fun we get to have!

I actually attended Zion 1-8, graduated from Lutheran High St. Charles, and earned a BA in Elementary Education at Concordia, Chicago. I have a minor in Biology and I love to teach Science.  Although, I could teach reading all day.  I love helping students become better readers and watch them begin to love reading. I also love art and teach students to appreciate art as well as master different techniques.

My passion is teaching and I love what I do. I want my students to know the love of Jesus and I try to share that love with them every second that they are in my room. I see each child as a special creation of God and try to treat them in a way that I would want my own daughters to be treated.  I try to have fun in my classroom and  I want my students have fun as they learn and to have a thirst for knowledge.

I grew up here in St. Charles and I am blessed to have my parents, sister and her family, and in-laws all living close by. My sister is Mrs. Hoehner, she is also a teacher at Chapel of the Cross in St. Peters.

My husband, Jon,  is the principal at Lutheran High School, St. Charles. I have three daughters. Hannah, my oldest, is in the Doctoral Program at the University of Evansville in Indiana in Physical Therapy. Grace, is a Junior at  Concordia University in Nebraska and majoring in  Early Childhood Education, she plays softball in college.  Maddie is my youngest and she is Freshman at Concordia Wisconsin. She is majoring in Occupational Therapy.

In my free time I enjoy my family being together, the Cardinals, baking and cooking, and reading.