Friday, January 30, 2009

And the Traditions Continue...

Today we donned our comfy pj's, carried our handmade teddy bears and celebrated reading at the annual First Grade Sleepover! This grade level tradition starts each year with an at home project designed to get families involved by making a unique bear for the day. These precious creations are displayed the week preceding in the lobby and then carried as students participate in the day's activities. The first grade team hosts a Make and Take during PTA Family Night where families decorate pillowcases commemorating the week. The day of Sleepover begins with a "nighttime" parade complete with flashlights throughout the downstairs hallway while the entire school sings Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star and cheers them on. From the parade the entire First Grade gathers in the Dining Room for a pancake breakfast and fun. Even the teachers perform special dances for the kids. Literacy centers taught by our extraordinary resource team provide for a myriad of opportunities to celebrate books and readers. Everyone leaves at the end of the day ready to go home and really "sleep" off all the fun. Traditions like Sleepover are just one of the ways we build a unique culture at Chets Creek that makes it feel like more than just a school.


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3 comments:

Michelle Ellis & Debby Cothern said...

I still remember my girl's First Grade sleepover and they will never forget it!!

Anonymous said...

I have a couple of observations about FGSO...

The Principal looked as happy as I have ever seen her look walking the halls in her jammies :-}

The big kids that I teach were in full nostalgia mode as they recounted their special day four years ago. They even remember the kind of PJs that they wore! (I honestly was thinking that it would not be a big deal to them, but KS assured me that it would be a big deal, and she was right, like always.)

The kids that went to other schools for first grade were openly jealous and very vocal about it.

It's a great tradition!

Finally, Athby looked so cool with her 6-string. It looked like Woodstock meets Mother Goose! (If you had to Google Woodstock, I know longer like you!)

KK Cherney said...

When a 1st grader walks up to you as he is leaving and says, "this is the best party I have ever been to", you then taste "sweet success". Could it get any better? An all day party featured around literature. Thanks for allowing me to dream with you.