First Grade Information
Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About First Grade...But Were Afraid To Ask
Important
Times
School begins at 7:20. Children are tardy after 7:35. If your child is tardy, you need to check him or her in through the office. Car bell rings in the afternoon at 2:15. Bus bells begin to ring and Extended Day begins at 2:35.
Lunch Time: 11:15-11:40
PE Time: 11:45-12:20
Personal Belongings
Please label all of your child’s personal belongings (coats, lunch boxes, show-and-tell items, etc.). This should include both first and last names.
Change of Clothing
Please put a change of clothing in a Ziplock bag and leave it in your child’s backpack. This will help us to better take care of your child in case of an accident. Please change these clothes seasonally. Having a change of clothing in the backpack keeps your child from missing valuable time in the classroom.
Medication
You will need to get a form from the school nurse and fill it out in order to leave medication at school for your child. We are not allowed to dispense medication without the appropriate forms.
Transportation
If at anytime your child’s afternoon transportation changes, please send a note. I cannot change a child’s bus number or change a child from bus to car, or car to bus, etc. without written notification or a phone call/fax to the office. A note works best because office messages are not delivered until 2:15. The note may be written in your child’s folder.
Morning Drop-Off
The front drive is for buses ONLY! However, you may park in designated areas in the front lower parking lot (NOT the teacher area) and walk your child up to the front porch. Or, you may go through the drop-off line in the back of the school. Someone will be there to help assist the children.
Car bell is at 2:15. All first grade students are picked up in back unless a sibling is in Kindergarten.
Lunch
Prices:
Student Lunch $2.00
Visitor Lunch $3.00
Please don’t send carbonated drinks! Thanks!
Lunch Continued
Please send all money to school in a sealed envelope with your child’s name, my name, and what the money is for on the outside of the envelope. You can deposit money into your child’s lunch account at any time.
Your child’s graded work will be placed in his or her folder periodically throughout the week. Even if your child does not have work in his or her folder each day, you still need to sign the behavior calendar daily. This is a great way to communicate! Please don’t take the monthly behavior calendars out of your child’s folder! I must keep them on file. Any parent notes or money should be sent to school in the clear zipper pouch of your child’s take home folder. I will check folders each morning. To eliminate confusion, please make sure money is clearly labeled.
Absences
If your child is absent, please send a written excuse to school within 3 days. Please refer to the student handbook.
Snacks
We have snack each morning during reading group time (8:30-9:30). Please send a nutritious snack with your child every day! No candy or candy bars. We will drink water for snack. If you send an apple, orange, tangerine, etc., PLEASE peel or cut it before you send it. Cups and water bottles will be sent home on Fridays so that they may be washed. Please don’t forget to send the cups and water bottles back each Monday.
Accelerated Reader/Book Worm List
Accelerated Reader is not mandatory in first grade; however, students are highly encouraged to read Accelerated Reader books and take computerized Accelerated Reader tests. This is a great way for your child to increase his or her reading comprehension! Your child will have a Bookworm List in the back or his/her take home folder. Please record the books that are being read at home. You may list books you read to your child or books your child is reading on his/her own.
Book Orders
Book orders are usually sent home every month. They are optional. The date orders are due back to school will be written on the back of the order form. Please send CHECKS ONLY made payable to Scholastic. Our class earns points for books ordered. The points are used to purchase new books for our classroom library.
Book-It Club
Pizza Hut sponsors the Book-It Club program from October through March. Your child will receive a certificate for a personal pan pizza from Pizza Hut if he/she has 20 or more books listed on the book log each month.
Parties
There will be two parties this year: Christmas and Valentines. The class will have special treats for Fall Festival and Easter. Store bought treats (not homemade) (Popsicles, Debbie Cakes, Cupcakes) are acceptable on your child’s birthday or for the student of the week treat day.
Conferences
If you desire a conference (at school or by phone) at any time, jot a note in your child’s folder and I’ll be glad to schedule one for you. If you ever have a question, please let me know!
School Phone:
586-6005
E Mail:
Available Conference Times
PE time: 11:45-12:20
After School: 2:45
Code of Conduct / Attendance Policy
Please read both the Code of Conduct and Attendance Policy. After reading them, please sign and return the back pages from each book. Please read the APS Handbook. Sign the form inside and return to school. Thanks!
Take-Home Newsletter
A take-home newsletter will be sent home every Friday in your child’s folder. The next week’s curriculum and any additional announcements will be written in this letter.
Curriculum
1. Language Arts and reading will be taught by introducing phonics and how to implement the skills during the reading process. There are 5 reading units during the year. Weekly spelling tests and basal tests will be given as well as a comprehensive reading test at the end of each unit.
2. Math will be explored through hands on activities in the classroom using manipulative objects as well as their math hand-outs. Your child will be given weekly written math assessments as well as fact tests.
3. A unit in science, social studies, or health will be taught each week.
Homework
Each day, first graders will complete a math worksheet in class with the teacher’s assistance. The back side contains the homework to be completed at night with parental assistance. Math homework items will be very similar to items completed on the front. Please allow your child to complete the worksheet as independently as possible. Then, check over it helping your child correct any mistakes. Your child should always complete homework in pencil, unless otherwise stated in the directions. Reading homework may be assigned periodically. Homework will be completed in class on Wednesdays and Fridays. Please go through your child’s take home and homework folders each night. Remove graded papers from the take home folder and return your child’s completed homework to school the next day.
Don’t forget to read a book each night as well!
After the first few weeks of school, your child will begin checking out books from the classroom. The chosen book should be read at home and written on the Book Worm List. Books must be returned to school the next day whether completed or not. This will eliminate misplacing our classroom books.
Classroom Management
Behavior Management in our classroom is in the form of pulling apples. Each day your child will begin with a red apple. Each time your child chooses not to follow the classroom rules, I will change his/her apple to the next color (consequences for each color apple are listed below). When necessary, I will write an explanation of why your child had to move his/her apple. Students work together as a class to earn BUG (Being Unusually Good) points for extra good behavior. After the class has earned 10 BUG points, we will all visit the classroom treasure chest. Remember, we all have bad days every now and then, so unless earning poor apples becomes habitual- PLEASE DON’T WORRY!
The behavior calendar is in his/her take home folder. Please sign the calendar every day, even if your child has a wonderful day! At the end of each month, I will remove the calendar and replace it with a new one. Please don’t take them out of your child’s folder. I must keep them on file.
Classroom Rules:
1. Listen carefully.
2. Follow Directions.
3. Work Quietly. Do not disturb others who are working.
4. Respect others. Be kind with both your words and actions. (Raise hands for permission to speak and take turns.)
5. Respect school and personal property.
6. Work and play safely.
Consequences:
Red Apple- Great Day!
Green Apple- Lose 5 minutes of recess
Yellow Apple- Lose 10 minutes of recess
Brown Apple- Lose all of recess
Black Apple- Go to the office
In Closing
I am looking forward to working with all of you and your wonderful children this year. I am here for you and your child! If at any time you have questions or concerns, please contact me! I will diligently work to meet the needs of every student in my class, and your concerns and input are greatly appreciated!
FYI: Parental involvement is very important to any child’s success!
