Mrs. Colleen Ewing Ms. Jen Metz

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Other Staff to know:

Mrs. Rachel McCarthy, Relief Teacher/Gross Motor

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Nicole Del Duca School Counselor

Kelly Robertson and Jackie Schenkel, Speech and Language Therapists

Elizabeth Mueller, Social Worker

Riley Finnegan, Preschool Social Worker and

Community Parent Involvement Specialist

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Began teaching in 1998

Graduated from Rider University

BA in Elementary Education and

BA in American Studies

Live locally

3 kids – Rachel 24, John Ben 21, & Ted 18

Lots of animals!

Love being in the barn with my goats. I am a 4-H leader, love soap making, cooking, and being with family and friends.

Contact Me:

Email: colleen.ewing@frsd.us

Teaching Strategies App

phone Robert Hunter (908)284-7620 X20105

or send a note

Room 105

Class List

Lucas Clara

Wesley Dylan

Amelia June

Laksh Omar

Cole Ascher

Emma Victor

Walker

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• Arrival: Unpack, lunch count, attendance
• Morning Meeting: Songs, Pledge of Allegiance, Calendar, Weather, greeting
• Message of the Day, Make Believe Play Practice, Play Planning, Make Believe Play
• Gross Motor/”gym”
• Small Group Literacy/Math/Science
• Second Step
• Lunch
• Rest
• Free Choice: Fine Motor Work (crayons & paper, small building items)
• Gross Motor- outdoor play
• Afternoon snack
• Large Group Literacy (Graphics Practice or Buddy Reading)
• Closing Group
• Dismissal

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Arrival

If you are arriving late, enter through the main office doors and sign your child in.

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If you plan on picking your child up from school earlier than dismissal or if there is a change in your regular routine, please fill out the change of dismissal form on the Robert Hunter Website.

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Dismissal

Snack

Please send two nutritious snacks for your child each day.

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A filled reusable water bottle should be sent in daily.

Lunch is available daily for purchase. If your child is buying lunch, please send in a note or email stating the option. You can create an account online to put money on for them. This is located on the school website.

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Chocolate milk is not available.

Lunch is eaten together at tables in our classroom. Lunch ordered is brought to us. Help your child review table etiquette at home. We help open containers but students should be feeding themselves and able to use tools like a napkin, fork and spoon independently. Students clean up after themselves. Please review that

the protein or main course is eaten first

then snacks. Please keep candy and

sweets to a minimum at school.

Weather permitting we will go outside everyday to play on the playground. Please wear appropriate shoes and jackets. Be sure to label everything.

Tools of the Mind: The curriculum supports children in becoming intentional and reflective learners in the academic areas of literacy, mathematics and science. Embedded within academic goals, children develop practices of self-regulation and executive functioning skills. These abilities allow children to be successful in social interactions and learning.

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Curriculum

Themes

Back to School

Family

Grocery Store

Restaurant

Medical

Pet/Vet

Community

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Example Activity: Play Planning

Development over time…

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Example Activity:

Play Planning

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• Family
• Grocery Store
• Restaurant
• Hospital
• Pet/Vet
• And more!

Make-Believe Play Themes

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Example Play Theme: Family

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Living Room

Bedroom

Laundry Room

Garage

Bathroom

Kitchen

What skills are developed �in make-believe play?

Math Skills

• Becoming familiar with uppercase and lowercase letters and their sounds
• Recognizing and producing words that rhyme
• Exploring different genres
• Literary discussions
• Begin to understand the conventions of standard English grammar when speaking during interactions and activities
• Recognizing names and other familiar print in our classroom

• Drawing and labeling pictures
• Applying letter-sound relationships
• Stretching words to listen for beginning, middle and ending sounds
• Developing writing through stages of the writing process by using scribble-writing, letter-like forms, letter-strings, and invented spelling during writing activities

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• Developing number sense
• Rote counting
• Counting objects using one to one correspondence
• Sorting and using vocabulary of measurable attributes (long, short, heavy, full)
• Identifying 2-D Shapes
• Solving simple addition and subtraction number stories
• Comparing numbers and quantities

• The Four Seasons
• Predict, Investigate and Observe during Science Experiments
• Living Things vs. Non-Living Things
• Needs of Living Things – Plants and Animals
• Earth Conservation/Recycling
• Patterns and Effects of Sunlight
• Weather

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• 5 Tools of the Mind Themes

(Family, Restaurant, Grocery, Medical and Pet/Vet)

• Most learning takes place in small groups and partnered activities. This allows children to be engaged and to interact with one another to learn, build social relationships and create a positive classroom culture.
• The children develop higher level play skills by identifying roles, actions, and scenarios and engaging in intentional make believe play.

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All children will be celebrated in school. We sing songs, and play together. The birthday child is our helper of the day. No food celebrations in school.

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If you are planning a birthday party for your child, please do not send the invitations to school to be distributed unless you are inviting everyone in the class.

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• Halloween – Friday, October 31st (school parade time 9:45 AM) party after parade
• Thanksgiving Celebration – TBD
• Winter Celebration – TBD
• Valentine’s Day – To be celebrated on Thursday, February 12^th (School is closed Feb. 13)
• End of Year Celebration – TBD

*times and dates subject to change

Volunteering

There are many different ways you can get involved and help this year in the classroom. We will have class parties, facilitated by our homeroom parents, which may require your assistance in the classroom or by donating supplies. You may also sign up to be a guest reader or to help with various PTO activities throughout the year.

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Supplies

Please consider donating

the follow items:

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• Tissues (boxes)
• Forks (plastic)
• Spoons (plastic)
• White Paper Plates (big & small)
• Ziplock Bags (all sizes)
• Baby Wipes
• Anti-bacterial wipes
• Magazines
• Q-Tips

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*thank you for your support

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Please contact me with any questions, comments or concerns and I will do the same in return. A monthly newsletter will be sent home outlining important concepts we will be learning in class and upcoming events. Also, if you have not already, please join the Teaching Strategies App for updates and photos throughout the year.

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Conferences will take place November 20-25, sign-ups to come.

Before you leave…

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Please write a positive

note to our class on a

colored dot. They will

be hung around the

room and read often.

*There is a QR code survey

from Ms. Finnegan also.

Thanks for coming and I’m looking forward to a

great year!