Welcome to First Grade!

1. Welcome to First Grade! Katy Koval Pioneer School of the Arts

2. Communication • My email: koval.katy@westada.orgFor regular communication, this is the best route. I like to have a record of our communications and, depending on the subject, I like to have time to think over my response or gather more information. • My phone: 855-4100 x.1107 If you have an emergency or something I need to know before the end of the day, please tell Jill or Brendain the office. They will call down over the intercom to make sure I know. If the information is sent in an email or left on a voicemail, I may not see it until after school.

3. About Ms. Koval Experience and Background I love spending time with my family. I have a 9year old son named Aidan who is the light of my life. We enjoy playing games, reading, participating in sports, and traveling. I took piano lessons for 10 years and enjoy playing when I can. I also like to sing. I have two sisters with whom I am very close. I am the middle child, but don’t feel bad for me. It’s just perfect for my personality… laid back and easy-going.  My family says I’m lucky because I tend to win more than my fair share of contests. • This is my 7thyear of teaching at Pioneer. • Before teaching, I was a Geographic Information Systems Analyst for the Dept. of Water Resources. I was also an Assistant City Planner in Washington state for a short time. • My Bachelor’s degree is in Geography and Environmental Studies from Central Washington University. • I also have a Master of Arts in Teaching degree from George Fox University. Hobbies and Interests

4. Classroom Schedule This is what a typical day in our classroom looks like:

5. Specials Schedule

6. Standard Specials • P.E. – Two 30 minute sessions per week with Miss Moore • Music – Two 30 minute sessions per week with Mrs. Cochrane • Computer – One 30 minute session per week (when computer lab is not being used for standardized testing) with Mrs. Knuth • Library – One 30 minute session per week with Mrs. Michaud Very Special “School of Choice” Specials • Visual Art – 45 minutes per week with Mrs. Bisbee • Composition and Performing Arts Laboratory – Two 30 minute sessions per week with Mrs. Peterson

7. Curriculum • Reading • Writing • Math • Science and Technology • Social Studies • Health • Specials

8. Reading • Each week we will read a new story from our “blue book” that will be the basis for the week’s theme or focus of study. Many of our science and social studies themes are integrated with these stories. • Each story introduces a specific spelling pattern or rule and a set of sight words or high-frequency words. The previously learned spelling patterns and sight words are reviewed in the new stories. • Each story has support literature called “Decodable Books” and “Leveled Readers.” We will read these in class and a printed copy is included in your homework packet so that you can reinforce the spelling pattern and words at home.

9. Reading Centers Reading is a time when the students are working on things independently while I am working with small groups of students. This takes a lot of adjustment, and will take some time to get it down. • The kids will receive a packet each day that contains a check-off of the work that they should complete. • They will be giving themselves a score of 3, 2, or 1 for the day. • They turn their packets in at the end of centers. • I look at them and give them a score of 3, 2, or 1 and send them home in the red folders at the end of the week. • For the first couple of weeks, it might not be unusual for a student to not get a lot of work done, but as they get used to working in individual centers, they will get more and more work done. • The grade they receive from me is a participation grade and will be reflected in the “learner behaviors” section of the report card. • The centers are engaging and interesting and will contain spelling or word pattern practice, writing, phonics practice, sight word practice and comprehension skills practice.

10. Reading Center Scores I ask that the students score themselves each day on their reading center work. A score of 3 means: • I finished all of my work. • I used my time for learning. • My work is neat. • My teacher and I can read my work. • I did my artwork carefully. • I did my very best. A score of 2 means: • I finished most of my work. • I used some of my time for learning and got off track a little. • My work is somewhat neat. • I can read my work but others can’t. • I did artwork, but it might not be careful. • I tried pretty hard. A score of 1 means: • I did not finish my work. • I did not use my time for learning. • My work is messy. • I cannot read my work. • My artwork is messy. • I did not do my best.

11. Reading Homework • Aside from some social studies projects, most of your homework will be focused on reading and spelling practice. If you would like to add in math homework, feel free to use the ideas listed on our website or practice math facts. • The most important thing is to read 20 minutes per night. Everything else is a suggestion which will help your child learn the phonics/spelling pattern we’re working with each week. • Homework is due on Monday morning. Late homework is always accepted! You don’t have to have everything checked off. I will record the number of minutes your child read in the past week. • Need another copy or more information? The homework and other related documents are all on our website! http://westada.org/Domain/2623

13. Weekly Language Arts Assessments • Spelling Pattern Test • Spelling Usage and Language Test • Story Test • Sight Word Check

14. Writing • 1st Trimester – Opinion Writing • Blue is the best color because… • Whales are the coolest ocean animals because… • 2ndTrimester – Expository (Non-fiction) Writing • Directions and Explanations • Life Cycle Reports • 3rd Trimester – Narrative Writing • Stories with a beginning, middle, and end • Develop characters and describe settings

15. Math • 1st Trimester – Geometry and Measurement • 2ndTrimester – Number Sense and Relationships and Addition and Subtraction • 3rd Trimester – Number Sense and Relationships and Addition and Subtraction Xtramath.org is a great site for practicing and mastering math facts. Your child will have his/her own special log-in information and the site will keep track of your child’s progress if you choose to sign up.

16. Science We have three main topics in science. These are not trimester-specific like math or writing. I will introduce each of them in the first trimester and then review all year. • States of Matter Students will learn all things are made of matter, matter has physical properties (size, shape, color, magnetic ability, sink or float), and matter comes in three states (solid, liquid, gas). • Life Cycles of Plants and Animals Students will learn that all living things have life cycles, the stages of a plant’s life cycle, the stages of an animal’s life cycle. (ex. butterfly), and all living things need food and water to live and grow. • Seasons Students will learn there is a relationship between the seasons and the calendars and there are four seasons that follow a cycle.

17. Social Studies In social studies this year the students will begin to understand concepts related to civics and government, history, geography, economics, and cultural diversity through the lens of their own family, as well as other families. The majority of this study will happen in the winter and many of our winter reading stories guide this unit of study. While we do many projects in class, you will have several homework projects to complete, including: • Winter Traditions You can work on this over November track break. Students will share in class in December. • Family Unit You can work on this in January and February. There are several one-page projects. Students will share in class February-March. • My Family Facts Each child is assigned a week during which he or she is the Star Student. As part of the presentation, he or she will include facts about his or her family.

18. Response to Intervention Process - RtI All students will participate in 3 “Reading Camps” during the school year – one per trimester. This allows the first grade teachers to provide extra support for those who need it, continue skill development for students who are performing at grade-level, and enrichment for students who are already strong readers. If your child is participating in a Tier 2 intervention for those who need extra support, you will be informed and updated on his/her progress. Some students who participate in Tier 2 interventions will be referred for Tier 3 support and I will meet with you to discuss the process involved at that tier.

19. Standardized Testing • IRI (Idaho Reading Indicator) • Tested on letter sounds and a reading passage • Letter Sounds (reported in the fall) • Words Per Minute (reported in the spring) • District Math Outcome • Covers all topics in first grade math (taken in the spring)

20. Classroom Contract A Pioneer citizen is self-controlled, responsible, respectful, and most of all, does the best he or she can. As a class we will be: Self-Controlled • Keep our hands and bodies to ourselves. • Raise our hands before speaking. • Use kind words when speaking to each other. Responsible: • Listen to and follow directions. • Clean up after ourselves. • Use our supplies and materials responsibly. • Do Our Best! Respectful: • Do our own work and not distract others. • Help each other. • Treat others the way we want to be treated. Behavior Clips • If a student is not following an expectation, I may ask that student to move his or her clip from one color to the next. • Green – Ready to learn • Warning • Yellow – 2 minutes of recess lost • Red – Parent phone call, email, or conference If a student goes the whole day without moving the behavior clip, he or she will earn a punch on their AMAZING BEHAVIOR punch card. After 14 punches, he or she will choose a prize from the prize box at the end of the day. Students also have the opportunity to move their clips to BLUE. BLUE will be for not only following the expectations, but going above and beyond. This will earn the student 2 punches on his or her AMAZING BEHAVIOR ticket. Students also have opportunities to earn punches on their AMAZING BEHAVIOR tickets for being caught doing good. Students will be bringing home a Daily Behavior Log in their red folders that indicates on which color they ended the day. Please initial that you saw the behavior log, and return it in the red folder.

21. Field Trips We have at least two field trips planned for this year! • We will visit the Botanical Gardens in Boise. • We will also attend the Agriculture Exposition in September. • More info to come! Music Program Students will participate in a music-based performance at Centennial Performing Arts Center in the spring.

22. Absences • Some absences are unavoidable, but please keep the avoidable absences to a minimum. There is so much we do in class that just cannot be repeated or replicated. Even when students only miss one day, they may miss important introductions, connections, or conclusions that make a week’s worth of lessons make sense. • If students miss class on Friday when we take our spelling, sight word, and reading comprehension tests, it is very difficult to get those tests made up without taking time away from the continuing instruction the following week. Missing an occasional test will not greatly impact a student’s grade, but should be avoided if at all possible. • Trying to catch up on missed art projects is even more difficult. If your child misses work time on an art project, they may not be able to complete the project.

23. Tardiness • The first bell rings at 9:05 A.M. School starts at 9:10 A.M. Students should be in their seats with their lunch choices made and ready to listen to the morning announcements by 9:10 A.M. (Wednesdays are Late Start – the first bell rings at 9:20, and the tardy bell rings at 9:25.) • Running late? Check in at the school office before coming to class. Students need to bring a tardy slip to me to show that they have checked in and are no longer marked as absent.

24. Lunch and Snacks Snacks We will have two snack times everyday (mid-morning and mid-afternoon). If your child would like to have a snack at either or both of these times please send something healthy. Healthy snacks include crackers, cheese, fruit, vegetables, or yogurt. Students will not be allowed to eat sugary or unhealthy snacks at snack time and will be asked to save them for lunch or after school. If your child is bringing snacks in addition to a cold lunch, please make it clear to them which items are snack items and which items are to be eaten at lunch time. It is important for students to remain hydrated at all times, so I encourage water bottles. *** We are a peanut-free classroom due to allergies within the first grade. Your student can eat peanut products in the lunch room only. Thank you!  Cold Lunch Please make sure all lunch boxes, icepacks, water bottles, etc. are clearly labeled with the student’s name. Milk is provided with the hot lunch, but if you would like your student to purchase milk to drink with their cold lunch, please send $.30 or put money on their school account. Hot Lunch The students will normally have two hot lunch choices. There will be times throughout the year when the lunchroom can only offer one choice because we will be having lunch in our classrooms. I will try to let you know about any changes to the menu as soon as I am aware of them. Lunch menus can be found on the District website: www.westada.org . If you send lunch money to school with your child, please place it in an envelope and clearly mark it with your child’s name, my name, and the words “lunch money.” You may access your child’s lunch account online at www.MyPaymentsPlus.com. On this site you can sign up for e-mail alerts that will let you know when your child’s account is running low. You can also choose to add money to your child’s account from the website, but there is a small processing fee for online payments. You are welcome to eat lunch with us anytime, but birthdays are an especially fun day to do so.

25. People to Know • David Jakious, Principal jakious.david@westada.org • Joe Gallia, Assistant Principal gallia.joseph@westada.org • Susan Thon, School Counselor thon.susan@westada.org • Marlee Chapman, Nurse chapman.marlee@westada.org • Miss Jill and Miss Brenda, School Secretaries barton.jill@westada.org workland.brenda@westada.org

26. Volunteering • I would love to have volunteers partner with me in your children’s education! • If you like to make photocopies or do other prep work, I could use you Monday mornings. • If you prefer to work with Reading Centers, I could use you Tuesdays, Wednesdays, or Thursdays from 9:30 to 10:50 a.m. • For those who would like to work with kids on math skills, I could use you Wednesdays from 1:10 to 2:10 p.m. or Thursdays from 1:40 to 2:40p.m. • Interested? Please email me and let me know what days and times work for you. Thank you, in advance, for your help and support!

27. Parent/Teacher conference sign-ups will take place online this year. I will give you more information on the process to sign up as soon as it becomes available. • Please ask me for your PowerSchool letter that contains your login and password for accessing your child’s account. I will distribute these at Back to School Night (8/26/14). This is how you will access your student’s report card this year. Paper copies will no longer be sent home. • I’m excited to make this a great year and I look forward to working as your partner in your child’s education! • Questions? Email me: koval.katy@westada.org