Welcome to 1 st grade

1. Welcome to 1st grade Sunset Elementary Mrs. Drylie Christina.Drylie@edmondschools.net 726-3829 classroom 340-2990 office

2. All About Me • I grew up in Edmond, Oklahoma. I graduated from Edmond Memorial. • I married my high school sweetheart and have been happily married for over 18 years. • We have 2 amazing daughters both in high school ages 15 and 17. Both play competitive soccer and high school soccer. We LOVE Soccer!! • I am very passionate about Edmond Public Schools and Sunset Elementary. • My daughters, husband, and myself all attended Sunset Elementary. • My 3rd grade teacher still teaches at Sunset… • From 1996-2002, I owned a Family Home Child Care/Preschool. • I have worked at Sunset since 2002. From 2002-2009 I worked as a Pre-K Teacher Assistant, while finishing my degree. • I graduated from the University of Central Oklahoma with a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education. • Although, I have worked in education for over 16 years.

3. Communication is Key • We can communicate through email, phone, notes, and conferences. • I can’t discuss confidential issues through email. Please call me to discuss academics, behavior, or family support situations. • You may email me with more generic questions or concerns. • If your contact information changes throughout the school year, please let me and the office know. It is imperative that we have the most up to date information in case of an emergency. • We will be able to communicate each week through the B.E.E. folder. • I may contact you through a note or by phone to discuss your child’s progress or an issue I am dealing with that I need your support and assistance with. • Please check out our First grade website for reminders, resources, and other important information. http://www.edmondschools.net/sunset/ • Please sign up for Conferences if you haven’t already.

4. Class Schedule & Specials 8:25-8:45 Bell Work 8:45-10:15 Language Arts / Reading 10:15-10:30 Snack / Community Circle 10:30-10:45 Calendar 10:45-11:45 Mathematics 11:45-12:35 Recess / Lunch 12:35-1:00 Handwriting 1:00-1:30 Big Idea Writing / 4 Square Writing 1:30-2:00 Specials class (times vary) 2:00-3:00 Literacy Centers / Guided Reading / RTI / Strategic Interventions 3:00-3:15 Clean up / Wrap up / Review 3:15 Dismissal • We will have Health, Music, P.E., Library, and Computer Lab each week. • P.E. is on Monday and Tuesday. Please make sure your child wears tennis shoes on these days. • Our specials classes are as follows: Monday- P.E. Tuesday- P.E. Wednesday- Music Thursday- Health Friday- Music

5. Curriculum • Edmond Public Schools Curriculum and lessons follow the Oklahoma State Department of Education PASS skills. (priority academic student skills). In addition to PASS, we are also incorporating the Common Core Standards (national standards). • Reading- “Reading Street” by Scott Foresman • Mathematics- “Everyday Math” • Science- “Harcourt” • Social Studies- “Harcourt” • Handwriting- “Zaner-Bloser” www.everydaymathonline.com You will get your child’s passwords tonight so they can play and practice math games at home from concepts we are learning in school with your supervision.

6. Classroom Information • I will be giving the DIBELS (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills) assessment as well as testing their reading levels this week. These assessments will give me the information I need to place them in the correct Guided Reading Groups and to see if they may need assistance with Reading Sufficiency, Title 1, or RTI. • I will let you know if they need more reading support through these programs. • My goal is to have your child reading at or above reading level. • Spelling and Reading Tests will be on Friday mornings. • Your help at home with your child with their reading, spelling, and sight words is imperative to their success. • Each week we will have a new “Reading Selection Story,” which will be read each day and their comprehension of the story will be tested. • We will start our “Drops in a Bucket” brain warm ups and “Daily Start” each morning. • Our First grade curriculum includes: Language Arts, Spelling, Reading, Writing, Math, Science, Social Studies, Art, Handwriting, and Computer Technology.

7. Classroom Expectations • School Wide “5 Whole Brain Teaching Rules” • I have high expectations for student behavior. I understand that they are 6 and 7 years old, but they are also still learning how to behave in social situations and in a structured environment. • Please encourage your child to be a good listener in class. When I have to stop to re-direct a student several times, it takes learning time away from everyone. • They are encouraged to speak in complete sentences. • They are encouraged to use manners- “Please” “Thank you” “Your Welcome” “Excuse Me” “I’m Sorry” etc… • They must treat everyone with kindness, and respect. • All students must follow the school rules and allow others to learn. • We have been talking about being “Bucket Fillers” We want to fill each others “invisible” buckets with kind words and support to make each other feel good about themselves. “Bucket Dippers” are people to say hurtful things to others. • We have a “Community Circle” each morning to build class community. Everyone needs to hear positive things about themselves to build social/emotional skills which is part of our curriculum. • I tell the kids that I am their “Classroom Mom / Teacher” I am here to teach them, protect them, help them, and love them. WE ARE BUCKET FILLERS!! !

8. Whole Brain Teaching Rules • Follow directions quickly. 2. Raise your hand for permission to speak. 3. Raise your hand for permission to leave your seat. 4. Make smart choices. 5. Make your dear teacher happy. Please Discuss these rules with your child as these are school wide rules.

9. Classroom Management • I promote a positive classroom and reinfore positive behavior. • My reinforcers might include; hugs, stickers, positive pennies (class store), cheers, notes, added privileges, and positive phone calls. • For students that are having a difficult time remembering to practice positive behavior, I may use any of the following techniques; verbal reminders, move the student, thinking chair, loss of privileges, red light ticket, loss of recess, phone call home, • If there is a situation that may be affecting you’re your child’s emotions or academics, please don’t hesitate to talk with me about it. • The better I understand your child and situation, the better I will be able to support and accommodate them.

10. Star Student of the WeekWe want to learn more about your child and celebrate them together. • Each student will have an opportunity to participate in this special time. • You will get a letter in the Thursday folder when it is your child’s turn. • Please gather a few photos to share with the class. You may also bring any momentos or special items your child wants to share. Please do not bring anything fragile or breakable. Star student of the week will also be my helper all week and be the leader.

11. Teaching Style • I use a variety of teaching methods; whole group, small group, individual, independent learning centers, cooperative groups, activities with manipulatives, learning games, paper-pencil tasks, student-directed, teacher-directed, and hands-on discovery and exploration. you'll go.” “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” -Dr. Suess

12. B.E.E Folder At home Reading, Sight words, Math, Spelling Homework is an integral part of First grade as students are becoming fluent readers. The district requires at home reading 10-20 minutes per day. At this age homework is given to teach students responsibility and to give them an opportunity to practice skills taught in class. Your child will bring home the B.E.E. folder each day. Please return it each day. In the folder you will find; My Contact Information, Money Pocket, Parent/Teacher Communication, Spelling Words for the entire unit, Sight Words for the current quarter, Fry Words, and Reading Log / Behavior Progress Report. Please record reading minutes each day. Homework will be given on Monday and needs to be returned by Friday. The Spelling and Reading Comprehension is on Fridays. Your child will be responsible for knowing the sight words for the report card.

13. Thursday B.E.E. Folder • You will find a Behavior Progress report, finished graded work, important notes from the office. • Please take all papers out of the “Work to Keep and Important Notes” pocket in the back. • Please go over your child’s work with them. That will show them that you care about their work and finished product. Initial the Behavior report on Thursdays. • Handwriting should also be reinforced at home. Children need to be taught the proper way to hold a pencil, letter formation, and neatness. • Please also discuss the Behavior report with your child. We need to be a team for their benefit. I want them to be the best they can be!

14. Class Parties We are still needing a Homeroom Parent and an Assistant Homeroom Parent We will have 3 parties this school year! Winter Party Valentines Day Party End of the Year Party Healthy Snack Each morning we will have a healthy snack time. Please remember to send your child with an individual snack each day. I will have extra snack available if your child doesn’t come with one. If you would like to donate extra snack for children that don’t bring one, you can bring Cheerios, Cheez-its, goldfish, graham crackers, dry cereal. Healthy eating does affect learning and behavior.

15. First GradeThemes All About Me Plants Farm Nocturnal Animals Pumpkins/Fall/Columbus Day Thanksgiving Holidays Around the World Bears/Winter/Snow Martin Luther King Penguins Valentines/Friendship/Groundhog Day Presidents/America Dr. Suess Weather/Seasons/Water Cycle Oceans Insects Space Fairy Tales Author Studies

16. Let’s Have a Great Year!! Parents, thank you for coming tonight! Questions / Answers