Our week for November 3-7, 2025

 

Clocks change back one hour on Saturday night!  Don't forget to change your clocks.

We talked about Halloween safety all week and wrote about it in our Friday letter today too.

We also had fun learning about Popping style of dance too!

Here are some reminders for our upcoming week.

1) Monday is Day 2 of our cycle.

2) Library is on Day 1 (Friday)

3) It is walk to school on Wednesday, and it's a spirit day too!  Wear school colours!

4) Our MWW words for this week are:

Group A—Lesson #37: Short "o" family words

not sob dog hop box jog 💓 he be me from

Sentence: He has a job.

Our Decodable reader is called It's Hot

Group B- Lesson # 40 Short "e" family words

west rent bend sped fled next. 💓 you what have

Sentence: What fits in the tent?

Our Decodable passage is called Fred and the Tent

Our worksheet is due back by Friday, and we will have a dictation on Friday.

5) Our learning skills observation is due back by November 3.  Please sign and review with your child.  

6) Our assessment folder went home too.  Please look at all the amazing work we have done and return on Monday.  All work can be kept at home.  Please return the Observation checklist though. :)

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to call or ask.

Have a boo-tiful weekend with your children.  Happy Hallo- win!  Go Jays Go!  

Mrs. Petramala👻 

Our week for Oct.27-31, 2025

 

We will be talking about Halloween all week.  We will talk about Halloween safety too!  Please refer to the Halloween letter that was emailed out via EDSBY last week for more details.  

Here are some reminders for our upcoming week.

1) Monday is Day 2 of our cycle.

2) Library is on Friday (Day 1)

3) Our MWW words 

Group A—short i words and 💓 words

fit him dip pig kid win  💓to, do, of, see   Sentence: Do I dim it?

The decodable text is called Gil and His Pig

Group B-  short u words and 💓words

spun plum dust rugs bump tusk 💓look, book, are, was Sentence: The cubs are fast.

The decodable text is called Gus the Pup

Our MWW worksheet is due back by Friday.

4) We went home with our Friday Letter.  Please help read with your child and send it back to school on Monday.

5) We went home with our poetry folder too.  We read 3 poems this week.  We are to read with our best expression and complete the worksheet. Return on Monday.

6) We will be running the Battery Blitz until Friday, October 31.  Please look for old/used batteries and bring them to school to be disposed of safely.

Tuck Shop Announcement

The Tuck Shop will open during first recess on Friday, October 31st, and will continue to open each Friday after that.

Tuck Shop cards purchased by students in your class will be delivered on Monday and Tuesday. Each card has a $20 value.

• Items such as cookies or popcorn cost $2 each, and students will receive one punch on their card for every $2 spent.
• Students are responsible for keeping their cards in a safe place so they can use them each Friday.
  Lost or stolen cards will not be replaced.
• To start, students will be limited to two items each Friday. This helps ensure they don’t use their cards all at once or purchase items for friends who don’t have a card.

f you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to call or ask.

Have a wonderful weekend with your children.

Mrs. Petramala 🍂

Our week for October 20-24, 2025

 

Happy Diwali to all who celebrate!

Here are some reminders for our upcoming week.

1) Monday is Day 3 of our cycle.

2) Library is Day 1 (Thursday)

3) There are no MWW words this week, as it's a 4-day week.

4) No School on Friday (it's a PA Day)

5) We went home this week with our assessment folder.  Please look through all the amazing work with your child and send it back empty on Monday.  Please sign that you have received and viewed the work.

6) We went home with our poetry folder.  We are to put in our folder, read, and complete the activity part.  Return on Monday completed.

7) Please support your child to read and log on their October Reading Log.  I strongly encourage us to read for at least 10-20 minutes each night.  

8) Our Friday Letter went home too.  We are learning to write a recount of our week. 

 

A note from our office:  If your child is late in the morning or at lunch, please make sure they get a late slip at the office before entering the classroom. If not, you will be called.  

Please continue to look around your house for old or used batteries and bring them to school.  We are collecting batteries until Oct. 31.  

A note about Halloween in our classroom will go home later this week.  

We will be going outside on Wednesday, weather permitting, to do some outdoor learning.  Please make sure your child is appropriately dressed.  It will be in the afternoon after photos are taken. :)

Class photos are on October 22.  Retakes will be in November.  

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to call or ask.

Have a wonderful weekend with your children.

Mrs. Petramala🍂

Our week for October 14-17, 2025

 

Wishing you all a very happy and healthy Thanksgiving with your families.  Remember there is no school on Monday.  School will resume on Tuesday, October 14.

Here are some reminders for our upcoming week.

1) Tuesday is Day 4

2) Library is on Day 1 (Thursday). Please return books in the large Ziploc bag.

3) There will be no MWW words this week, as it's a short school week.  We will be learning a poem called 5 Little Pumpkins.  We will go home next weekend with our poetry folder.

4) We went home with our Friday Letter.  We wrote 10 things we are thankful for.  Please read with your child.

5) We also have our Blue Reading Folder at home too; please read and log as well.  I highly recommend reading known texts a few times/week to support fluency and comprehension.  

6) We have our Battery Blitz for the whole month of October.  Please bring old/used batteries to school, and we will dispose of them in a safe environmental way.  There are boxes outside the Learning Commons.

  

This is a reminder if you would like to purchase a Tuck shop card on School Cash Online. The card is $20.00 and each item at the Tuck shop will cost $2.00.  This means that with each purchase the card is punched. Cards are laminated with the students first name and teachers name. 

This is the final weekend to buy the cards until the winter holidays and second session. Cards will be delivered to classes at the end of next week and Tuck Shop will open on October 31 at morning recess selling popcorn and cookies. 

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to call or ask.

Have a wonderful weekend with your children.

Mrs. Petramala 🦃 

Our week for October 6-10, 2025

 

Rick Hansen is running a Battery Blitz from October 1 to 31. We are collecting old and used batteries of all sizes. Batteries can be brought to school, and we have boxes that will dispose of them in a safe environmental way. Boxes are outside the Learning Commons. Have fun going through your house this weekend to collect old and used-up batteries! 

Here are some reminders for our upcoming week.

1) Monday is Day 4 of our cycle

2) Library is on Wednesday (Day 1)

3) Our October newsletter was emailed out via EDSBY. Please refer to this email and read to learn what is happening in our classroom. 

3) Our MWW words are starting this week. MWW stands for Making Words Work. We work with these words all week on decoding and encoding strategies. On Friday there will be a dictation. (encoding)

We have a yellow duotang coming home next week with a supplementary worksheet. This worksheet is due back by Friday each week. We write our words in our agenda on Mondays. We also will be coming home with a blue reading folder. This is to be kept at home, and we will have a decodable passage coming home every week that we have MWW words. Please put this passage in the blue reading folder.  We will be reading this passage in class as well. We will use our decoding strategies taught in class so far. I encourage the students to read nightly for 10-20 minutes. Reading familiar texts is beneficial because it helps develop reading fluency, builds confidence and vocabulary, and reinforces memory through repeated exposure to patterns and language.

Group A—Lesson #35 words: Short a words and Heart words

map, rat, sad, lap, bag, tab 💓, the, I, a, said

Our sentences are

1. The cat sat. 2. I said I had a bag.

The decodable passage is called Bag of Hats and Caps

Group B—Lesson #38 words:  Short Vowel Review words and Heart words

flag, mask, slip, hint, plot, lost 💓 the I a said

Our sentences are:

1. It is not the last stop. 2. The kids got to camp.

The decodable passage is called Brad Quits

4) We went home with our Friday Letter.  We are learning to write a recount. Please read with your child and return on Monday.

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to call or ask.

Have a wonderful weekend with your children.

Mrs. Petramala🌞

Our week for Sept. 29 - Oct.3, 2025

 

On Tuesday, September 30th, it is orange shirt day.  We celebrate this day as every child matters !  

Orange Shirt Day, held annually on September 30th, is a day to commemorate the residential school experience for Indigenous children, with wearing an orange shirt symbolizing the loss of culture, freedom, and self-esteem experienced by these children. It honors survivors and remembers the children who were lost and never returned home. The initiative, inspired by residential school survivor Phyllis Webstad, serves as a visible act of remembrance, a tribute to survivors, and a commitment to reconciliation, reminding us that "Every Child Matters." 

Our Terry Fox Run/Walk is on Wednesday, October 1, at 9:30 am.  A link is attached if you would like to donate to Rick Hansen's page for Terry Fox.  Also, if you are able to volunteer your time from 9:30 am to 10:30 am Mrs. Lummiss is seeking volunteers.  You can reach her at jennifer.lummiss@yrdsb.ca. Please have your child dress for the weather.  We are outside, weather permitting.  Our raindate is Oct. 3.  

The link is : https://schools.terryfox.ca/RickHansenPSAurora

Please copy and paste the link address into your browser to go there directly.  

Wednesday is also Walk to School Day too!

Here are some reminders for our upcoming week.  

1) Monday is Day 4 of our cycle.

2) Library is on Day 1 (Wednesday).  Please return books in the large Ziploc bag

3) We will go home with our October Reading Log on Tuesday.  We are to read for 10-20 min/night and log on our sheet.  Once we have completed 20 days, they can return to me and choose a prize from the prize box.  Please refer to the curriculum package that was sent home on curriculum night. If you were unable to attend last night, I will send it home on Monday in your child's BEE bag.  Our Reading and Spelling Programs (MWW—Making Words Work) will be starting after Thanksgiving weekend. 

4) Our October newsletter will be sent via EDSBY on Wednesday, October 1.  Please refer to this letter, as it will update you on what we are learning and any other pertinent information for that month in our classroom.  Please check this blog weekly for our upcoming week though.  😀

5) We went home with our Friday Letter.  We are learning to write complete thoughts in a sequential order.  This strategy is called a Recount.  

6) We went home with our Poetry Folder.  We are to read our poem and complete the sheet too.  We chorally read this poem this week every day in class, and the more we read, the more we use our strategies taught so far.  Please have your child read a few times to build fluency and accuracy. 

7) Scholastic orders are due by September 30.  Our class code is RC160582

It was wonderful to meet all of you last night.  Looking forward to a great year together.  If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to call or ask.

Have a wonderful weekend with your children.

Mrs. Petramala 🌞 

Our week for Sept. 22-25, 2025

 

Welcome, Fall! Fall is official on Monday, September 22! Here are some reminders for our upcoming week.

1) It is on Thursday, September 25, from 5:30 to 6:30pm. Our room number is 214. We are excited to show you our learning space and welcome you to our Grade 1/2 community. We will have a package on our desk for you to take home and enjoy for your reference. If you are unable to attend, I will put it in their BEE bag the following week.

2) Monday is Day 5 of our cycle.

3) Tuesday is Library—Day 1

4) Friday is a PA Day; there is no school.

5) We went home with our Friday Letter. Please help support reading and return on Monday.

6) Scholastic orders are due by Sept. 30. There is no obligation to buy; however, most books/items are at good prices. Instructions were sent home, as a parent account is needed for setup. Books/items come quickly after I release the code. Our classroom code is RC160582.

7) Dates of interest:

September 30- National Day of Truth and Reconciliation Day 

October 1- Terry Fox Run/Walk and Walk to School too!

October 2- Yom Kippur 

To all who celebrate Rosh Hashanah, "Happy Rosh Hashanah!"

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to call or ask.

Have a wonderful last weekend of summer with your children.

Mrs. Petramala 🌞

Our week for Sept. 15-19, 2025

 

Our Stars are due back by Monday, September 15, 2025.  We will be sharing how awesome we are next week to build our classroom community.

Here are some reminders for our upcoming week.

1) Monday is Day 5 of our cycle.

2) Tuesday is Library (Day 1). Please return their library bag with the picture book in it.  Soon we will be able to sign out a picture book and a decodable reader.  Our reading program will be starting shortly, and there will be a supplementary program attached where we log our reading, and once completed after 20 days of reading for 10-20 minutes each time in that month, we can choose a prize.  More to follow shortly :)

3) Gym is on Day 1 and Day 4 of our cycle, and we need appropriate footwear and clothing to participate.  

4) Our Friday Letter went home.  We are learning to write a recount of our week.  We are learning to think it, say it, write it, and reread it to make sense of our writing.  Please read with your child and send it back on Monday.

5) Please read and sign their agendas nightly and send them back in their BEE bags daily.  This is our main form of communication in grades 1/2 and builds independence and accountability.  

6) Save the Dates:

Thursday September 25 - Meet the Teacher Night  (time TBA)

Friday September 26 - PA Day (no school)

Tuesday September 30- National Truth and Reconciliation Day

Friday, October 3—Terry Fox Run/Walk 

If you would like to donate:

our Rick Hansen Fundraising page for Terry Fox can be found at

 https://schools.terryfox.ca/106724

*if you are unable to connect to the above, copy and paste into your browser

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to call or ask.

Have a wonderful weekend with your children.

Mrs. Petramala 😎

Our week for Sept. 8-12, 2025

 

Hello Grade 1/2 Families:

We had a great first week of school! I am looking forward to a wonderful year of learning together. Below are some reminders for you and our upcoming week.

1) Monday is Day 5 of our cycle.

2) Please fill out the 'Getting to know your Child' questionnaire and send it back to school at your earliest convenience.

3) In our Bee bags this past week, a welcome letter was sent home as well as our timetable. Those can be kept at home for your reference.  Please have extra clothes clearly labelled in a Ziploc bag to be kept at school.  

4) BEE bags need to be brought to school daily as well as the agenda. This is our main form of communication in grades one/two. We write in them daily.

5) On the first page of our agendas, you'll find your child's username and password for their GAPPS account. You will need this to access report cards through the family portal.

6) Our Friday Letter went home today. Please help read with your child and send it back to school on Monday.

7) Our Stars ⭐ are due back by Monday, September 15, 2025.

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to call or ask.  

Have a wonderful weekend with your children.

Mrs. Petramala 🖉

Welcome to Grade 1/2

Hello Grade 1/2 Families:

This week your child will be coming home with a BEE bag (Bring everything everyday).  This bag needs to be brought back daily.  Inside you will find a welcome letter, a timetable, and a getting-to-know-your-child questionaire.  Please kindly send back the child questionnaire as soon as you can.  The other notes are for you to keep.  

We had an exciting first day, and I look forward to a wonderful year of learning together. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to call or ask.  Agendas will be going home shortly. 

Fondly,

Mrs. Petramala 🖉

Dismissal on Thursday June 26, 2025 is @ 12:40 pm

 

Please take note that dismissal time is at 12:40 pm on Thursday, June 26, due to bussing.  Buses will depart at 12:40 pm.  Please meet us at Door C at 12:40 pm.  Thank you for your understanding.

Mrs. Petramala

Our last week of Grade One Fun!

A big thank you to all who came out today to have fun with us at the SplashPad.  Your generosity with the treats was very much appreciated by all.  We had a lot of fun making memories with our friends!

Please make sure your child is dressed appropriately for the weather.  We have no air conditioning in our school.  We do have fans, yet it does get hot!  Hats are recommended too.

Please note that Thursday, June 26, is our last day of school.  Dismissal is at 12:10 pm, and buses will depart then too.  

Here are some reminders of our upcoming week.

1) Report cards will be distributed to your child's GAPPS account on Thursday, June 26.  

2) The assessment folder can be kept at home.  

3) Any work/folders coming home this week can be kept at home.  

4) I will be sending home their indoor shoes and any indoor clothes that are still at school.

5) Please keep up with their reading/writing and math skills over the summer.  Below are some good websites to review some skills and drills too.  Keeping up with our strategies over the summer will make for a smooth transition in grade 2.  

Decodable Readers:

https://right2readinitiative.com/free-decodable-texts/

Math:

https://mathville.com/gr1mathCurrCorr.html

Writing:

https://www.scholastic.com/parents/books-and-reading/raise-a-reader-blog/6-ways-to-avoid-summer-slide.html

Have them write in a home journal.  Recount of their weekend, favourite activity, holiday, and place to play.  We learned to THINK IT, SAY IT, WRITE IT, and re-read to make sense.  We need to double-check our work with a writer's checklist too. 

Thank you for being partners in your child's grade one year.  I have enjoyed every minute with them!  I will always look back fondly on our time together.  I wish them much love and success in their school journey.  My classroom door will always be open to them.  Wishing you all a happy and safe summer!

Mrs. Petramala 🌞

Our week for June 16-20, 2025

 Hello Grade One Families:

We are going to the SPLASH PAD on Friday, June 20, 2025, from 2-3pm.  A note was sent out through EDSBY.  Please refer to this note to see what items we need.  If you do not want your child to participate, we will be able to play at the park.  Supervision will be available.  We will be talking about safety play at the splash pad throughout the week  and safe play at the park too. Water shoes are a must.  

Here are some other reminders for our upcoming week.

1) Please keep your yellow MWW folders at home. We will not be having any more MWW words this year. Please keep and review over the summer.

2) We went home with our Poetry Folder.  We are to read with our best phrasing and expression, complete the activity sheet, and return back to school on Monday.  We will be sharing our experiences as a class. 

3) Please make sure your child has a hat, and if you send sunscreen, I will make sure they reapply it at lunch.  

4) Our last day of Grade One is on Thursday, June 26.  Dismissal is at 12:10 pm.  Buses will depart from school at that time too.  

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to call or ask. 

Have a wonderful weekend with your children.  Mrs. Petramala 🌞

Happy Father's Day to all our dads!

Our week for June 10- 13, 2025

 

To all those who celebrate Eid-al-Adha I wish you and your family a happy celebration. 

There is no school on Monday, June 9, 2025.  It is a PA Day.  School will resume on Tuesday.

Here are some reminders for our upcoming week.

1) Tuesday is Day 5 of our cycle.

2)  There are NO more MWW words for the year.  We have completed our weekly words.  Our yellow MWW folder can be kept at home.  :) This yellow folder supplements all the Decodable Passages that were sent home this year for their blue Reading Folder.  We have another copy at school, which will be coming home shortly.  Please keep both their MWW words and their decodable passages to support reading over the summer.  Keeping up with our strategies will enable a smooth transition in September.  

3) We have no more Book Exchange.  Please return all library books back to school by June 13.

4) Our assessment folder went home today.  Please keep all work at home and send back the folder empty on Tuesday so we can put more work in it. Please make note of their writing rubric for Term 2.  A reading rubric will be sent home shortly.  

5) We are learning about Financial Literacy.  If you have loose change around the house, have your child count it.  We learned to sort and count up.  Below are some graphics to support our learning journey.  

Here is a great website to support our learning through digital manipulatives.

https://toytheater.com/category/teacher-tools/virtual-manipulatives/

6) 

Our Jump Rope for Heart is on Thursday, June 12.  Our rain  date is June 13.  Please dress your child appropriately to participate.  We will be outside, weather permitting, so hats are a must!  We jump from 2-3:30pm.  A donation link was sent out through EDSBY.  

Have a wonderful weekend with your children. 

Mrs. Petramala💓

Our week for June 2-6, 2025

 Hello Grade One Families:

Rick Hansen's Fun Fair is on Thursday, June 5, at 4pm. Come and have fun making memories with your children!

Our Recognition Assembly is on Thursday, June 5, at 11:30 am. Those receiving an award have already been notified. 

This is our last week for book exchange. Library is on Friday (Day 4). Please look around your house for any library books and return them back to school as soon as you can.

We will be raising the PRIDE FLAG on Monday for Pride Month. Show your pride and wear Pride Colours on Monday.

Here are some other reminders for our upcoming week.

1) Monday is Day 5 of our cycle.

2) Our MWW Words for Lesson # 56 are: Long O words

hope note bone close phone those

Our sentences are:

1. Who did you vote for? 2. We drove home at nine.

Our Decodable Text is called The Drive Home

Our worksheet is due back by Friday.

3) Wednesday, June 4, is Walk to School, and it's a SPIRIT DAY too!

It's RAINBOW colours day. Show your PRIDE by wearing rainbow colours.

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to call or ask.

Have a wonderful weekend with your children.

Mrs. Petramala 🌈

Our Week for May 26-30, 2025

 Hello Grade One Families:

We will be having only one more library book exchange. All library books are due back by June 13, 2025. Please look around at your house for any library books and return them back to school as soon as you can.

Here are some reminders for our upcoming week.

1) Monday is Day 5 of our cycle.

2) Library is on Day 4 (Friday)

3) Our MWW words for Lesson #55 are long i words and 💓 words:

bike fine kite life slide spike 💓 by*, my*

Sentences: 1. We will be there by five. 2. The white rack can fit nine bikes.

Our Decodable Text is called Kites for Sale

Our MWW worksheet is due back by Friday.

4) We went home with our Friday Letter and Poetry Folder. We are to read the poem There's Dirt on My Shirt with our best phrasing and expression. Draw on the back what we like to do outside. Please return both on Monday.

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to call or ask.

Have a wonderful weekend with your children.

Mrs. Petramala 🌞

Our week for May 20-23, 2025

 

There is no school on Monday, May 19, 2025. It is Victoria Day. School will resume on Tuesday.

Here are some reminders for our upcoming week.

1) Tuesday is Day 1 of our cycle.

2) There will be no MWW words for the week as it's a short week.

3) There will be no library this week as we have the book fair at school.

Our buying time is :  Tuesday May 20, from 9:35 am to 9:55 am.  

 Book Fair will be open from 3:40 pm to 7 pm on Thursday, May 22, 2025.  

4) Arts Night and the Talent Show is on Thursday, May 22, 2025, starting @ 5:00 pm.  

5) We went home with our Friday Letter and our Assessment Folder.  Please look at all the amazing work we have done!  You can keep all work at home.  Please return the Friday Letter duotang.  

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to call or ask.

Have a wonderful long weekend with your children.  Mrs. Petramala🌞

Our week for May 12-16, 2025

 

Thank you to all who have donated to our Baking Bliss basket.  We really appreciate your participation.  If you are able and would like to donate, our donations are due by Friday, May 23, 2025.  Donations being accepted are: 

Gift cards (Superstore, Canadian Tire, Dollar Store) Baking/Cookie Mixes/Cake/Muffins, Measuring cups, spoons, cookie cutters, liners, frosting, bags, sprinkles, or anything that involves baking!  

Next week it will be Mental Health week @ Rick Hansen PS. We will have activities available at recess to help support our mental health.

Here are some reminders for our upcoming week.

1) Monday is Day 1 of our cycle.

2) Next week we will not have a library book exchange.  We will be viewing the Scholastic Book Fair at our Library Time.  Our buying day is Tuesday, May 20, from 9:35 to 9:55 am.  Please note that the Book Fair will be open after school on May 22 until 7pm.  That is the Arts Night @ Rick Hansen PS.

If you would like to order something from the Scholastic flyer that went home last week, please submit by May 16. This flyer is different from what is available at our book fair.

3) Our MWW words for Lesson # 54 are "long a words and 💓 words."

make cape fade plate skate shade 💓 who 

Our sentences are:

 1. Who will be at the lake? 2. Blake was late to the game.

Our Decodable passage is called Cave in the Maze  

Our worksheet is due back by Friday.

4) We went home with our Friday Letter.  Please have your child read it to you. 😀

Please have them read what we wrote for you too!

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to call or ask.

Have a wonderful weekend with your children.

Happy Mother's Day to all our moms!

Mrs. Petramala