This week we traveled to the Kalona Fire Department. Fire Chief Steve Yotty and Volunteer Fire Firefighters Jerry Zahradnek and Clair Yoder were all there to teach us about fire safety and prevention. We were able to tour the station as well as the fire trucks. We ended our trip by listening to the fire trucks sirens' and seeing the lights flash. Thank you to the Kalona Fire Department for all you do to keep us safe!

We have spent a lot of time studying the short a and i sounds and to end this week we began studying the short o sound. It has been fun learning different sounds and making new words. Each week our written vocabulary increases and grows. I am so proud of the efforts each child brings to school every day.

In Math we have become masters at counting pennies and are masters at counting nickels as well. Now we are becoming masters at counting nickels and pennies together! This is very difficult and will take a long time for all of us to "get." Counting money is something that we will continue to work on each week. Any money counting that you can do at home will gereatly help your child at school.

REMINDER! The Book-It! Program is going on. Each night I want your son or daughter to read 20 minutes and mark it on their calendar. If they do this each night of the week they will have read 400 minutes in one month! :) That is a huge accomplishment! Send the filled out calendars back to school at the end of the month and I will send home a pizza certificate to Pizza Hut. Yum!

Happy Reading and Happy Friday to all!