Welcome back...again!

I hope you each enjoyed a lovely Eid holiday. What a nice surprise to get a whole week off!  Now, let's see how we all do getting back into the school routine, once more...

Just by way of reminder, tomorrow (Sunday) is Day 3, so the students will have PE. Also, please remember that students will not have school on Tuesday, as it will be one of our first Professional Learning Day (for staff).  To find out what we are learning in 3LN this week, click here. 

Also, we will be having our individual class pictures on Wednesday, Sept. 21, so kindly remember to have your child wear his/her formal uniform (not PE), including the tie. I can't wait to see how crisp and cute the students each look. I always smile when I see their hair extra slick and sleek when they waltz in the classroom on Picture Day morning.

If your child is interested in joining an after school activity, please refer to my last post regarding the registration. There are some terrific activities being offered this trimester!

Our class will be choosing a Student Council Rep on Wednesday, so if your child is interested in this leadership opportunity, please be sure to return the application by Monday (Sept. 19) and have your darling prepare a little speech, which he/she will present to our class on Wednesday.

As an FYI, I will be attending a growth mindset conference in Bangkok, Thailand, from Sept. 22-25, so I will not be at school on Thursday and Sunday. Not to worry, though. Your child will be well cared for and well taught in my absence. I'm already looking forward to imparting what I'll learn in our classroom!

Lastly, on a personal note, below you'll find some pictures of a very last minute trip to Norway with my mom and sister, Julie. (Dad stayed home with the dogs, so it was just us girls.) We met in Oslo last Saturday and I just flew back to Dubai today (Saturday). It was a wonderful trip in every way as we relished in each other's company, laughed, learned new things, met new and old friends, explored, breathed in the cool, clean mountain air, ate interesting local food, like brown goat cheese, reindeer, whale, and moose. We made about a thousand new happy memories to treasure for a long time to come. I hope you will enjoy the pictures. :)

So thrilled to meet in the Oslo Airport! I had to wait a couple of hours for them to arrive, but time passed quickly with a pumpkin spice latte, reading, and people watching. 

While we were in Oslo, we were able to see Lauren Williams, who some of you may know as our former ES art teacher. She moved to Norway in August, so it was fun and interesting to hear about her new life there. She's doing great! 

We loved the cooler temperatures. (The Royal Palace is behind us.) 

Ha! Mom sneaked this candid of me reading. So enjoying this good book! 

We took in all of the gorgeous scenery while riding the Flam Railway. 

Somewhere near Finse...

The cultural museum in Oslo was so interesting. This church dates back to the year 1200! 

A must-do if you're ever in Norway. 

I was so happy to see a true autumn after so many years. 

We were surprised to see a glacier! 

Norway is so stunning and we feel so grateful to have had the time off and opportunity to visit such a beautiful country. My mother's side of the family is actually from Larvik, Norway, so it was special to learn about my heritage firsthand. I have about a thousand more pictures, but I'll spare you. (Plus, I'm just a little tired.)  I'm looking forward to hearing all about your child's week off, as well! 

The latest news in 3LN

As we near the end of our second week of school, I would be remiss if I didn't express to you just how much I am enjoying our class. They are really terrific! (Whew...)

I love to see their happy smiles as they walk in the door each morning and the way they are already so chatty with their new classmates. They are also surprisingly open and honest about their feelings during our morning meetings, sharing all kinds of their likes, dislikes, funny memories, and things they are scared of. I find myself sitting there on the carpet with a contented smile on my face because I know that I truly do have a great class. (See, even teachers have initial fears about their class. Lol.)

I have a few things to share with you, so kindly take note of the following: 

• I want to take a moment to say thank you to those of you who were able to come to our Back to School Night on Monday. It was great to see you! And, if you were unable to make it, please feel free to review the slideshow. I always love meeting the parents of the cute faces I see everyday. 

• Here's a note from Pia Garnder regarding the DAA swim team: 

• "With the help of Tara Lewis, Coach Voja, and I (Pia Gardner) are proud to offer a year-long swim team. Our plan is to hold tryouts for this swim team on September 19th and 21st (with make-ups on Sept. 22nd). We will hold these tryouts in the Elementary School pool from 3-4:30 on both days. Our plan is select 7 students from grades 2-5 to train and compete with us throughout the school year. The information regarding this will be sent out via SPOTS, as well as flyers posted throughout the building. We are requiring a two-time a week commitment of training, but offer two sessions in the afternoon and two in the morning, so students can also pursue other interests. Thanks so much for your support!"

• For those students who are interested in being an ES Student Council rep for our class, please complete this application and return it to school on Monday, Sept. 19th. Students who would like to be considered will then give their speeches on Wednesday, Sept. 21st and we will vote as a class to determine our 3LN rep.  Stay tuned to see who is elected! 

• There is NO SCHOOL for students on Tuesday, Sept. 20th. (Teachers will be receiving professional development.)

• Class Photos are COMING SOON!! Our class will have our individual class photos taken on Wednesday (Day 5), Sept. 21st, so please be sure that your child is dressed in his/her formal uniform (not the one for PE) and remember to bring your tie, so he/she looks extra sharp. 

• ASAs (After School Activities) are also coming soon. Please stay tuned, as I'll be posting all of the important details on the blog as soon as I receive them. 

• As an FYI, the ES Choir, which is new this year, has already filled up and has a waiting list. 

• Lastly, our class has already enjoyed our first reward party, which was "POPCORN AND M&Ms." How does this work? Well, every time our class receives a compliment, the students choose a letter and when all the letters are filled in, we have the party. We viewed a story from Story Line Online and there were smiles and crunching all around. 

Lastly, though this is a couple of days early, I'd like to wish those of you who celebrate a very blessed and happy Eid. What a treat that we have the whole week to enjoy the best of Dubai, as well as other places near and far. Wherever the holiday finds you, I hope it will be especially wonderful. 

A note from DAAPA

Announcing the annual DAAPA EID for All New Toy Drive

DAAPA and the Red Crescent Society encourage all families to participate in the Eid for all New Toy Drive.  

You may drop off your NEW and UNWRAPPED gifts in the ES Foyer until September 28th.  

Involve your children in this initiative. Let them choose the gift and explain to them that they will be helping another child in this country who may not be receiving a present on the upcoming Eid.  

Thank you!