Welcome to Kindergarten!

I LOVE to teach Kindergarten!  I am currently teaching my  fourth year at Lumberport Elementary.  I previously taught first grade and Music/Health to PreK-second grade at LES.  I am in my 14th year of teaching.  I was a substitute for two years, and I taught for 8 years at a local private school.  While I was there I taught Kindergarten for 5 of those years.  I am a West Virginia native.  I have lived in West Virginia my entire life.  I am a graduate of Washington Irving High School in Clarksburg and a 1995 graduate of West Virginia University.   I currently live in Clarksburg with my husband, Tim, and three children, and I am expecting my fourth child this fall.  Two of my children are in school.  I enjoy reading and spending time with my family.  We like to spend our summers by poolside and enjoy snow skiing in the winter.

If you ever need  to reach me, you may call the school or reach me by home phone number, which was given out at the beginning of the year.  At school, I am available from 12:20-1:05 pm daily.  You may also contact me via email at mgentilo@access.k12.wv.us

Our entire school year is about getting our students ready for First grade.  There are so many new things that our Kindergarteners need to master in order to be successful in First grade.  We want the students to be able to read on a beginning level.  They must be able to take those early phonics principles and apply them to their reading and writing.  Some great websites for reinforcment in reading and phonics are www.starfall.com and  www.pbskids.org,  the Between the Lions link is especially good.  Our students also use the Compass Odyssey learning website at school.  The activities are sequential. Students can master the actvities at home or school and move on the next activity on the website.  This is an excellent site for language arts and math activities.  Students can log on at home using the same username and password that they use at school. irc.harr.k12.wv.us/childu/index.html

Upcoming Events:

Halloween Party: Friday, Oct. 31, 2008 at 1:30.  Parade at 1:30 and parties will begin after the parade.

For the Week of October 27-31, 2008

Some fun facts about :

There are 3 people in her family

Favorite Book: Stella Luna

Favorite Food: pickles

Favorite TV Show:  Hannah Montana

Favorite Animal: Horse

When she grows up, she wants to be a veternarian!

Reading:

Story: Life in an Ocean by Carol Lindeen

We will also read other stories about ocean life

Vocabulary:  ocean, world, crab, shell, fish, seaweed, environment

Sign Language: ocean, fish, world, look, see

Concepts:  inital sound short /a/; likenesses and differences; compare and contrast using a Venn diagram; beginning, middle, end; nouns and plural nouns; blending words; distinguishing beginning sounds

Math:

Halloween math activities: counting and patterns

Other:

We will make a Halloween counting book and learn about seeing eye dogs and blindness.

Please practice the letters sent home on the ring.  It is very important for your child to master these letters early in the school year.  Our goal is to have your child reading and writing sentences at the end of the year.

Planning Schedule:                                                                       

Monday- Library                                                  

Tuesday -Gym                                                               

Wednesday-Library (books due)      

Thursday-Gym                                                               

Friday-Library ( Halloween party)

 Snack Schedule:

 Monday-Jacob

Tuesday- Jareth

Wednesday-Mariah

Thursday-Robert

Friday-Halloween Party

Lunch Menu:

Monday: Bacon or Sausage; scrambled eggs; hash browns; biscuit; fresh fruit; milk

Tuesday:  Cook's Choice

Wednesday: Beef Nachos; cheese sauce; baked beans; corn; steaming rice; fresh fruit; milk

Thursday:  Salisbury Steak; gravy; noodles; corn on the cob; warm wheat roll; fresh fruit; milk

Friday: Tomato Soup; grilled cheese; carrot sticks with dip; fresh fruit; milk