First Grade Back to School Night

1. Welcome to the Jungle! First GradeBack to School Night We are wild about learning!

2. Contact Information • The key to a successful school year is communication from home to school. We encourage you to email us with any questions or concerns. • If you need to talk to us during the school day please call the office at 881-1720. The secretary will put you through to our voice mail. First Grade Teachers Room 1- Mrs. Jones X6501 jonesrj@centergrove.k12.in.us Room 2- Mrs. Thompson X6502 thompsond@centergrove.k12.in.us Room 3- Mrs. Casper X6503 casperm@centergrove.k12.in.us Room 4- Mrs. McKinney X6504 mckinneym@centergrove.k12.in.us Room 5- Mrs. King X6505 kingk@centergrove.k12.in.us Please look for on-line newsletters from the school and monthly newsletters from the first grade teachers.

3. Cafeteria • Lunch is $2 per day. Please see lunch menu for cafeteria options. • If you are going to have lunch with your child, please check in with the office and wait at the cafeteria. • When your account is below $10, you will receive an e-mail/notice from the cafeteria showing the amount in your child’s account. When you send in lunch money, please put yourchild’s name, room number and the amount on the envelope.If you are paying by check, please put the check number on the outside of the envelope. This is important because the cafeteria keeps the envelope for their records. If you have any questions or concerns about lunch or the amount of money in your child’s account, please contact the cafeteria, Pam Shirley EXT. 6543.

4. Notes to School • Please send in a note if your child: • is absent • has an appointment • is leaving early • has a transportation change. These notes can be sent to school in your child’s green folder. *When picking up your child from school early you must sign them out from the office.

5. Money/Book Store • If you send money to school for any reason, please make sure you place it in a sealed envelope. Label with child’s name, room number, and purpose of money. • Place envelope in green folder. • Book store is open 2-3 mornings per week. • Book store purchases: write what supplies your child needs on the outside of the envelope.

6. Field Trips • We will be taking one field trip to the Children’s Museum in the Spring. More information will be coming home later.

7. Student Handbooks • Students will be bringing home a Student Handbook on the first day of school. • Take note of the school policies regarding electronics, trading cards, and backpacks. • Please do not send any toys from home to school. • There is also a list of recess rules in the handbook.

8. Food/Treats • Students may purchase breakfast in the cafeteria if needed. • We will not be having daily snacks in our classroom. • When we have a special snack for projects, we will ask for donations. • Please pre-arrange birthday treats with your child’s teacher. Please send in prepackaged treats. Also, we request that you do not send in any drinks. • Please do not send in cakes, cookie cakes, and ice cream treats because they consume too much classroom time.

9. Folders /Daily Log • Folders: Red- stays at school Green- goes home each day • The Green folder will come home every night. This folder needs to be checked by parents every night and papers should be removed each day, except for the Daily Log. • Daily Log: This will list daily activities and homework. Please check this log each day for updates. This paper must be kept in the green folder all week. • A helpful suggestion for you: keep your own folder at home with important information, previous spelling lists, newsletters, etc. for easy access and review throughout the year.

10. Responsibility andIndependence • It is our goal for your child to become an independent and responsible citizen. • Here is how you can help: Teach and encourage your child to tie his/her own shoes, zip coat, snap and button clothing. Learn and practice address (including zip code), phone number (with area code), parents cell number, and birth date. Help your child by holding them responsible for their own homework and behavior. Let them pack their own backpacks the night before school, etc.

11. Homework • Assignments can be found on the Daily Log. • Check on Monday to see the homework for the entire week. • Please expect 3-4 nights of homework each week. • Our homework is necessary reinforcement of the skills taught in the classroom and review for tests. • Homework is due the next day unless otherwise noted.

12. Behavior/Citizenship • We have a discipline/citizenship plan that is based on our school creed. • In first grade, we will say this creed each day and discuss what it means to us. • Each day you need to check the back of the Daily Log to see if your child has received any marks. This is our form of daily behavior communication between teacher and parents. • Please sign the daily log on Friday and return to school on each Monday.

14. Rewards/Consequences • Recognition, privileges, incentives, and fish slips will be given to children who demonstrate good choices and positive citizenship in the classroom. • Consequences: The first mark on the clock will be a WARNING. Each mark after that will be 5 minutes off recess. This will start over each week.

15. Math • Math Facts are a major focus for first grade. • We begin the school year with a concrete approach to math facts with many hands-on activities. • (Mastery of addition and subtraction facts to 5 by December) • (Mastery of addition and subtraction facts to 10 by May) • Students need to be able to solve addition and subtraction facts to 20 using manipulatives. • Students will have 5 seconds per problem. • We will do written and computer assessments. • Practicing math facts at home is IMPORTANT!!!! • We will be sending home a more detailed letter and flash cards in October. • www.aplusmath.com is a great website.

16. Spelling • We will begin Spelling the last week in August. • Spelling will go along with our reading series. • A list will come home on Mondays. • Tests will be on Fridays and will consist of 15 words. 10 of the words are based on a phonics skill, and 5 are high frequency words that will be placed on our classroom word walls. 2nd 9 weeks, we will add a spelling sentence on the back of the test that reviews the previous weeks’ list. • Spelling will not be graded on the report card until 2nd 9 weeks. The spelling sentence will not be graded until 2nd semester.

17. Penmanship • We will be working on correct letter and numeral formation during the entire school year. • We use D’Nealian manuscript. • Students are writing on lined paper in 1st grade. • We have included a copy of how to make the letters and numerals correctly in this packet, along with a copy of the lined paper we use. • We also work on spacing letters and words appropriately. • Proper pencil grip is important. • Please practice at home!!!

18. Reading • Reading comprehension is a huge focus in 1st grade. Students should be able to retell stories in their own words and pick out story elements (setting, plot, characters, etc.) • We will be sending home strategies on how you can help your child build reading fluency and identify unknown words. • We will be sending home assigned readings 1-2 nights per week; however, nightly practice may be necessary to build fluency and recognition of vocabulary words.

19. Assessments • First grade students will receive percentage grades for the following: Math, Reading, Spelling. • All other subjects will be recorded with S+, S, S-, U. • Grades can be found on Skyward. Please let the office know if you need a login and password. Also let them know if your information is not correct. They will an email address for both parents. • Grading: “T” on top of paper means we did the paper together in class. • A % or letter grade means this paper was recorded in the grade book. The grading scale can be found in the student handbook and on Skyward.

20. First Grade T-Shirts • We will be purchasing T-shirts for each child in first grade. • Each classroom will have a different color shirt. • We will wear these for field trips, field day, and other special days throughout the year. • We will be sending home order forms soon.

21. Differentiated Learning • Waterford • Brown Folder books during Self-Selected Reading • Leveled Readers • Compass • Math Facts in a Flash • Differentiated Groups • Literacy Work Stations

22. Waterford/Literacy Lab • Students will go to the Literacy Lab each day. • We use an individualized computer program called Waterford. This will allow students to progress at their own reading levels.

23. Classroom Volunteers • Each classroom teacher will have their own sign up form for parents to help out in the classroom. • All parents coming into the school or attending a field trip must complete a background check. A new background check must be completed each year. • All visitors to the school must sign in at the office before coming into the classroom.