As we come back to school this January, our Primary students will begin with reviewing letter sounds and sounding out 3 letter words with an emphasis on word families, such as the -at family (cat, hat, sat, mat) and the -og family (dog, log, hog, fog). Students will practice writing the words by listening to the sounds. 

We are excited about the upcoming visit from Zovargo, which will provide our students with animal encounters right here at Bella Mente. Students will learn more about animal families, such as birds, reptiles, and mammals. This opportunity to see these amazing creatures is a great way to connect the study of animals with the real world.

We encourage you to engage with your child’s learning at home through a few simple activities: 

Add to your child’s interest and knowledge about animals by asking questions related to the animals you have as pets in your home or that you see when you are out in the community. You can ask your child if that animal is a mammal, bird, reptile, amphibian, or fish. Follow up by asking how they can tell the type of animal they are looking at. Does this animal have fur, feathers, or scales? What do the animal’s babies look like? How does the animal move around?  Does it walk or run; does it swim or fly? These discussions will help build your child’s background knowledge for better reading comprehension in the future. 

Read some books about animals with your child. Did you know that reading aloud to your child can make a huge impact on their social, emotional, and academic development? Studies show that the single most important activity for eventual success in reading is regularly reading aloud with your child. 

In the Leader In Me program this January,  our scholars are learning how to be a good friend. Friendship requires both actively listening and being willing to talk to someone new. Our students will practice looking for clues about how our friends are feeling and then asking them to join in an activity.

This month, our Primary students will be learning about the new year and will practice the names of the months by making calendars. These activities will reinforce learning about the seasons and weather.  

• 1/4/2025 Monthly Dine-Out Rubios
• 1/8/2025 School Resumes
• 1/10/2025 Leader In Me Assembly
• 1/16/2025 Coffee Mingle, End of Semester 1 
• 1/17/2025 Zovargo Animal Encounter
• 1/20/2025 MLK Day; No School
• 1/22/2025 Minimum Day, Staff PD 
• 1/24/2025 Fire and Evacuation Drill
• 1/27-1/28/2025 Schoolwide Hearing/Vision Screening
• 1/31/2025 Spirit Day: Dress like a Teacher