Amundson’s Primary Place

It was a great week to be a part of White Oak Primary. There were so many good things going on at school and  so many children are getting awards at our CHAMPs assembly, which means they are deligent and showing great behavior. Our students are doing a fantastic job with their reading and writing. Many tickets are being turned in for the Reading Contest so it will be a real competition to see who wins the bicycles! The Second Grade program was a super play about the Lion and Mouse fable and was an excellent production due to the efforts of Mrs. Kimbley and the Second Grade teachers, parents and students. The Prekindergarten work exhibited in the hall is looking more like Kindergarten work so we are proud of their growth. We only have 6 more CHAMPs assemblies so our students are working hard to get another award at one of those times.
Again…it is a great time to be a Roughneck at White Oak Primary School.

With the weather going from warm to cool and windy in such a short time span, the children are leaving a large number of sweaters and jackets on the playground.  These items are now piled in the Lost and Found boxes in the cafeteria.  These boxes are full.  Please encourage your child to check the box for missing items.

Our Easter Chocolate sale ended today. I wish to thank you for supporting White Oak Primary School. A total profit will be posted in a later blog.

We continue to have a few students who are coming in tardy. Remember you are forming life long habits for your child. As spring activities begin it is so important to have good nightly routines and procedures that are well established and lead to a calm morning routine that allows the child to get to school and be “Ready 2 Work” by 8:00am
every day. I thank you for working with your child in this worthwhile effort.

We have had a great week at White Oak Primary School.  The weather has been sunny and warm so that the students could enjoy recess.  The Mobile Dentist was here on Thursday.  Many of our students got awards at the CHAMPs assembly this morning, and we had so many box tops turned in that two children will get drawn next week for a lunch from the Dairy Queen.  Today, Austin Woods was treated to the DQ lunch of his choice.   So, as you can see, we have had a great week .  Next week is the Valentine Party.  We will be selling Lip Lollipops for 50 cents as a special sweetheart treat.  Come by and buy several as they are yummy!

Our students are making great strides in reading.  The best way to improve reading is to read, read, read, read, and read and they are doing a wonderful job.  Also, the students writing is really showing significant progress.  To walk down the halls and read their writing is a treat!  Thank you teachers and parents for all your great support in this effort.

Many volunteers work diligently to help our students and teachers.    This week, I must commend Dana Wood,  Jeanne Lettow, and Janis Crane.  White Oak is special because of special parents like them!

We are having some cold, rainy weather today.  If we have to delay the start of school tomorrow, Wednesday, January 28th, we will place a call on School Messenger, contact the local TV stations, and the radio stations.  That decision will be made after checking out the streets and roads of White Oak.

Many of our students have been ill last week and the start of this week, but today we had a better percentage of attendance so we hope all our students are better.  The teachers and parents have been working together very well on this effort.

The fourth six weeks will end on Friday, February 13th.  Many of the students have worked hard this six weeks to make some great progress.  The writing in the hallways shows some significant growth.

Welcome to the Spring Semester at White Oak Primary School.  Everyone enjoyed the holidays and was ready to begin again to the rush that starts real soon.  There is so many exciting events in this semester and the students are so in to the routines and procedures that this is usually a great time for the children to make significant academic progress.  As always, our teachers plan very deliberately for each child to achieve optimum success.  As a parent, you will get to enjoy seeing the growth of your child in their reading, writing and math skills as they cover so much of their grade level curriculum in this semester.  Thanks to the efforts of so many, our attendance is looking great at the present time.  You know it is almost impossible to recreate what a child in Primary School misses when they are absent since most of our instructional day is oral and hands-on activities and very little that we can give in a paper pencil format.  That is why regular daily attendance at school is so important for a child and we thank our parents for understanding that and for promoting regular attendance at school.  You are forming life-long habits for a child to attend regularly and be on time that will carrying them into future years of education and the world of work.  Also, stressing the importance of getting your work completed no matter the task also starts the life long habit of a strong work ethic which was a part of the foundation of our country.  The Roughneck was noted for hard work and dependability.  This is a great time to be a part of the Valley of the Roughnecks!

January is School Board Appreciation Month.  We thank our White Oak School Board for their dedication in serving our school and the White Oak Primary School campus.

When you are in a building with 320 excited 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 year olds in the month of December, you really understand the meaning of “visions of sugarplums dancing in their heads.”  At this time of year, if the teachers can not relate the instructional goal to Christmas then it is hard to keep their attention.  This is a great place to share in the joy of Christmas!  The Primary School will have regular school hours Monday thru Thursday of next week going until 3:00 pm each day December 15th thru December 18th.  Our parties are on the morning of December 19th and we will dismiss at 11:30 on that day. 

The student planners are the best way to communicate with your child’s teacher.  If you want to send her any information then write in the planner or place the note you have written in the planner.  

As the first semester is drawing to a close, we are so proud of what the students have accomplished so far.   They have made great strides in their social skills as well as their academics.  In White Oak this is due to parents that are concerned for their child’s success and highly dedicated instructors who work hard daily to increase student success in all areas.  Our goal is to educate the whole child while having the child enjoy learning.  Our society today will require these children to be life-long learners and we want them to like the journey.

There is always excitement in the air at White Oak Primary School in December. All of our students enjoy this time of year making decorations for their classrooms, and anticipating all of the Christmas activities. The school parties will be on the morning of December 19th and we will dismiss at 11:30 on that day.

Coats, sweaters and caps are all to be found in the Lost and Found Box in the cafeteria. Parents, when you come by the school, check this box if you have any lost items. Also, please write your child’s name inside jackets so that identification is easier. Their name should also be on backpacks and lunch kits.

We are currently into the third six weeks of school.  This six weeks will end December 19th when we dismiss for the Christmas Holidays.  This week we will have school Monday and Tuesday, and dismiss at the regular time, 3:00 pm. on both days.  The Primary Staff and I wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving to share and enjoy with your children and family.

Send your child’s lunch money on a weekly basis every Monday as that saves the classroom teachers time spent on bookkeeping.  Also, list your child’s first and last name on the check so the monies will be placed into the correct account.

The Primary School is taking applications for qualified substitutes.  If you are interested, contact Melanie Reed, 903.291.2203.