First Week: Done ✅

After a full week of school, I am so happy to report that things in 3LN are going very well. Children had smiles on their faces, laughter could be heard, and there was plenty of great participation throughout the week. 

The first week is alway so important as procedures are set in place, students scope out the feel of the class and assess their comfort level, and the foundations for new friendships are laid. Thankfully, there were no glaring problems or issues and the class has already begun to gel as a family. (I am always on the lookout for children who seem alone or isolated and there were none to be found. Yay!) 

I drove home on Thursday so very happy with the way things went and so thankful for the children whom I can now call "mine," at least for the next 10 months. (Thank you, parents, for sharing them with me, by the way.) We are on the cusp of Week 2 and the speed will definitely start to pick up a bit. 

Here are some important items that you should note for the next week: 

• Our Back to School Night is on Monday evening. For those of you who can make it, it's always a valuable time for me to communicate the essentials of our year together in Grade 3. If for some reason you are unable to come, however, please rest assured that I will post the powerpoint and all the info. you need. (I understand that some are traveling, working, or home with children.) 

• As an FYI, I will be hosting our BTSN presentation in my classroom, Room 220, along with one of our new teachers, Ms. Jennifer Trataris. We will be co-presenting and look forward to seeing both sets of parents in the classroom. (So, don't be alarmed if there are parents you may not recognize as those from 3LN. Most of the information we'll share applies to both classrooms, but we will each add our own specifics as we go through the presentation.) 

• I have just posted this week's Assignment and News, so please read it over when you have 5 minutes. 

• There are also new pictures up! Click here to see them. (Wow, your children are really cute!) 

• Did you go somewhere pretty amazing this summer? If so, please share it with us! Here's a note from our lovely librarian, Sarah Mollenkramer: 

• Please join us in sharing your summer vacation geography fun facts on our hallway bulletin board. Bring or send us a picture of you on vacation and tell us a fun fact about that place. (s.mollenkramer1_DAA@gemsedu.com) Thanks for your help in promoting awareness about our wide and wonderful world!

That's it for now. I'm excited to see you on Monday night if you can join us!! :)

PS. I hope you'll enjoy these fun pictures, which are just a foretaste of the fun that is yet to come.

Sweet Sofiya is already writing a darling note to her new friend. 

Sarah and Jenna discovering something they have in common during our game of Bingo.

Zoya, "Ooo! Let me sign yours then!" 

Yehia is full of passion! And, he really likes Uno. 

Such a sweet smile...

Two seconds later. Lol.

Are these darlings cute or what?! We are going to have a wonderful year together. :) 

Back to School Night

For those who were able, thank you for coming to our Back to School Night. I really enjoyed meeting a few new faces and also sharing a little about what we do here everyday.

If you were unable to attend, know that we missed you, but we understand that it's not always easy to get out at night, especially with other siblings, absent spouses, or other responsibilities.

To help you feel more in the loop, I would invite you to view the power point I shared last night. I hope it help to serve to answer any questions or simply provide a good overview.

I'm looking forward to a great year ahead!! 

A few items...

What an exciting time it is as we on the cusp of a brand new school year! I want to warmly welcome you to my class, once again, and reassure you that your sweetheart is going to be very well-loved, taught and cared for over the next ten months. I feel that teaching is a special calling, one that I take very seriously. Know that I will give you and your child my very best and look forward to a great year together! 

Here are a few brief items worth noting: 

• Schedule: Sunday, August 30, will be our first day of school and Day 1 on our ten-day cycle. Please refer to the schedule tab to the right as it's remained unchanged from last year, or click here. 

• Communication: I will send home a few important papers early in the week, which will provide you with our class schedule, my classroom expectations, as well as a few forms to be completed by Thursday, Sept. 3. Thanks so much in advance for reviewing those. (Since some of info being asked is redundant, please feel free to skip questions.) 

• Healthy Snacks: Please be sure to send your child to school with a healthy snack right from Day 1. Our snack and recess time is from 9:30-9:50. The nurse will monitor the weather and if it it is too warm, we will eat and play indoors, not to worry. 

• Transportation: Kindly inform me of your child's intended regular transportation, so I can make a note of it for my records. (This is the purple form I sent home.) If anything changes, please be sure to update me via written communication (passport/agenda, email, note). If your darling says that he won't be taking the bus, unless I have a note, I will have no choice but to put him on the bus. Also, please note that I am not always able to check my email at the end of the day as I may be teaching. Therefore, please try to communicate any last-minute transportation changes by 1 pm. After that time, you may try to contact me, but please also inform Ms. Rene in the office, so they can get the message to me ASAP. 

•  Arrival and Dismissal Procedures: As we will be working towards independence, please encourage your child to walk upstairs, unpack his/her backpack and begin class without any assistance. (I will be there to ensure a smooth start this week, don't worry.) Likewise, in the afternoon, you can pick up your sweetheart from the foyer. If there is an alternate location where I should allow your child to go, please just let me know by providing it on the transportation form listed in the bulleted point above. I realize that this first week is a bit chaotic, so please bear with us patiently as we work out any kinks. We'll get there, not to worry! It actually does become much easier with time and practice.

• Uniform Change: With the weather still so warm, ties will not be required until after our Eid holiday in October. Enjoy this small break in the uniform policy. :) 

• Assignment Sheet and News: Please read our weekly Assignment Sheet and News to learn about what we will be doing in class. This is also a great way to engage with your child as you know exactly what kinds of lessons, activities, and events are happening in school. 

• Activity: We will begin the week with "Me Bags" to introduce ourselves. Simply have your child collect 3-5 items that best represent his/her favorite things. For example, I enjoy traveling, so I have included a copy of my passport picture. I also love seahorse, so I included a little wooden figurine of one. You get the idea. :) They can be in any bag (plastic, paper, etc). Your child will share a bit about each item, so please prep him/her for this if needed. These can be sent in any time this week. 

I think that's it for now, but please don't hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions or concerns. I'm happy to answer any question, regardless of how minor you think it might be. 

Once again, I'm thrilled to be your child's teacher. Thank you for your kind support as we work towards your child's academic and personal success! 

Welcome to 3LN!

I'm pleased to be your child's teacher for the next school year and want to wish you a warm welcome! You should have received an introductory email with an attached letter, but if not, please let me know by emailing me at l.nossal@daa@gemsedu.com, so I can cross-reference your email address with my notes for future communication. 

As you may be aware, there will be a New Student Orientation on Thursday, August 27, from 11:30-12:30 in the Auditorium. Afterwards, you will have the opportunity to come visit me in our classroom, so I'm looking forward to meeting you and your darling then! 

Back to School Night PowerPoint

For those who were able, thank you for coming to our Back to School Night. I really enjoyed meeting/seeing a few new faces and also sharing a little about what we do here everyday. 

If you were unable to attend, know that we missed you, but we understand that it's not always easy to get out at night, especially with other siblings, absent spouses or other responsibilities. 

To help you feel more in the loop, I would like to invite you to view the PowerPoint I created. I hope it will serve to clarify any questions or simply give you a good overview. 

Looking forward to a great year ahead! 

Back to School Night Power Point

For those who were able, thank you for coming to our Back to School Night. I really enjoyed meeting a few new faces and also sharing a little about what we do here everyday. 

If you were unable to attend, know that we missed you, but we understand that it's not always easy to get out at night, especially with other siblings, absent spouses or other responsibilities. 

To help you feel more in the loop, I would like to invite you to view the Power Point I created. I hope it will serve to clarify any questions or simply give you a good overview. 

Looking forward to a great year ahead!